The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-01-28

be converted into an arena Of parliament
airy combat such as has not been seen in
Washington in many a day.
For week or two the crisis has been
approaching, and now 1t has come. Late
yesterday afternoon Senator Beverage,
the adroit and persistent leader of the
fight against the Quay -political"com-
mercial cornbina ton, was forced to open
filibustering. There have been many fill
busters in the senate, but those who con-
duct it always try to preserve the polite
fiction that they are only demanding full
discussion. On this occasion Mr.. Beve-
ridge found it necessary to show his hand.
He had to take, the floor and make a
speech nearly an hour long, without very
much to say that he had not already said,
and obviously he was talking only for the
purpose of killing time. 1t was an un-
pleasant task, but the young senator did
it cleverly. At last, however, there &C..
CURED ridiculous incident, one which
graphically illustrated peculiarities of the
senate's system. --..=
| The situation in the senate is a most
extraordinary one. The leaders Of the re-
publican majority find themselves in a
minority OH account of the coalition which
Mr.. Quay has been able to make between
| the democrats and a dozen or fifteen re-
publicans. = Actually the leaders of the
senate are engaged in a flibuster. Tho
men who usually dictate what shall and
| shall not be done in that body are forced
to resort to the tactics of the minority and
fight for time. Men who are engaged in
| filibustering in the past are now decrying
it as method unworthy the senate; while
the men who formerly denounced obstruc-
ton are now planning to consume time
with long speeches and dilatory motions.
| Nearly all the prominent republicans Of
| the senate are against Quay,s scheme and
they have sworn that he shall not sue
coed. They have their war paint on and
are fighting for their prestige. If it be-
4 comes necessary in order to defeat him
they will force an extra session of con-
| gress, or at least an extra session OF the
lsenate for the purpose Of ra tifying the
Sf:Cuban, the canal and the Alaskan urea
! ties. At any cost and by any methods.
! they are determined to down Quay and
| his impudent political-commercial COM
| bina tion
! For some reason Senator Burrows of
! Michigan has joined the Quay forces.
l Foraker and Elkins have been with him
l.all along. Except these three, the Quay
forces are made up either of western
1 or second-rate republicans and the demo-
Gratis Quay has with him such men as
wellington Of Maryland, Mason, Stewart
Of Nevada McCumber. Foster of Wash
1 ington Penrose. Perkins = Of California,
i Hansbrough Of North Dakota and Bur
4 ton of Kansas. The western republicans
4 saw thew cannot afford to go against the
q omnibus bill because public opinion in
their states is in favor of admission OF
q all the remaining territories.
3 The republican leaders are stripping
for the fight. They intend to remind al
Republican senators that there Is a fu-
tture. and that the men who oppose them
tnow may regret it as the years roll by
Even if defeated by this peculiar com
81 bination, the reins of power in the sen
late win remain in the hands of the lead