The Montgomery advertiser., 1906-01-02
PAINTER GETS
 FIRST BLOOD Looks Like Blackburn is
 Beaten. DOMINATES B01H HOUSES Democrats Held Many Impor.
 tant Caucuses. Supporters of Opponent to Present sen- ator From Kentucky Are JubI- Isn't over sisnaI Victory.
 In skirmish.


 ment was reacheds in tho Democratic house and senate caucuses of the Ken tucky Legislature tonight the support. CTS of Thomas H. Paynter, who aspires to succeed J. c. s Blackburn as Uni- ted States Senators apparently domi- hating the situation.
 In the house caucus a Paynter man was elected chairman of the caucus and a Paynter man was nominated for speaker by a vote of thirty-nine to thirty.
 In the senate caucus the Payntcr candidates for chairman and president pro tenfpore were Dominated by vote of eighteen to thirteen. Adding the votes polled for paynter candidates In the two branches gives total Of | fifty-seven or four votes more than enough to nominate Judge Paynter If he receives a vote equal to that polied by the men he put forward tonight. | the tactical advantage they have | gained in organizing the two houses. l Set over against the claims arc the flat assertions of the managers for Senator Blackburn and W. B. Halde- man, of Louisville, the opposition can didates that a number of legislators who voted for Paynter's candidates will not vote for Judge Paynter for Senator in joint caucus. With these "cross ov- CTS" they also include six members who did not vote on the races for speak CT and president pro tempore. The Paynter managers. however, say that their candidate also will receive tho votes of several cross overs. Nei- ther side showed any sign of giving ground after the caucus, the Paynter managers claiming his nomination in joint caucus on the first ballot While the ,Haldeman and Blackburn forces, which combined in an attempt Go or ganize the two houses, steadfastly as- serted that there would be a dead lock. The Democratic joint caucus on United States Senator will bs held to- morrow night at s o'clock The Repub- Iicans, who are in hopeless minority. viii also hold their caucus tomorrow, Tho first siSirmish n the battle for f United States senator, J. C, 5. Elack- burns seat was won by the Paynter forces in the caucus of the pemocrati; members of tho House of Representa- lives today.
 The opening tug of war came on tae selection of chairman of the cau- GUS. The caucus was not called to or der until shortly after 8. o'clock over an hour of delay being occasioned by the tremendous press of people around the House chamber When Lewis Mc- Quown, chairman of the Democratic State central committee finally brought the members to order and called for the election of a permanent chairma Representative w J. Gooch, an ad- herent of Thomas H. Paynter and an administration man" was elected over q rival put forth by the Blackburn Haldeman combination by vote Of fl to 33.
 The result of the vote indicated that the Paynter forces would be able to organize the House by electing the chairman and the other officers and the hopes of his supporters accordingly , rose higher at the prospect of the great advantages to be derived from control of the House machinery when the bal loting for United States Senator was taken up.
 On the other hand the Blackburn Ha1deman forces pointed out that Paynter's strength as indicated by the | vote for caucus chairman was insuffi- , cient to elect him as Senator and that | Furthermore several members who
 voted for Gooch for chairman would | not vote for Paynter for Senator. There was considerable delay be- l fore the caucus took up the question of nominating a speaker of the House. l The vote for Speaker of the House | demonstrated that the Paynter follow
 Ing were in the ascendancy. Fl. R.
 Lawrence. the Paynter candidate, re-
 ceived 30 votes over R. W. Miller, who
 received the combined vote of the
 Blackburn -Haldeman forces, amounting
 to 30 Five representatives who voted
 on chairman did not ballot for Speaker,
 evidently not desiring to commit them- | selves in the race for the more mpor-
 tant office on account of it's bearing on | the Senatorial situation The caucus
 then proceeded to choose the. minor of
 ficlals of the House.
 | The agreement agreed on before-
 hand only called for the nomination
 of House officials. the first caucus bal | lot on the senatorial race coming to-
 morrow when senate and house will meet In joint caucus. Meanwhile the | legislature will meet in regular session l tomorrow at noon but beyond prelim- lnaries of organization no business will | be transacted by either branch.
 The Kentucky Legislature consists of
 ninety eight representatives and thir- | ty-cight senators. Of the total of 136 votes iu the two branches the Demo- crats control 105, thus making fifty I threc votes necessary to nominate a l senator In joint caucTs.
 1 In the caucus of Democratic sena- 1 tors. Henry George, an adherent of Judge Paynter was chosen chairman | by a vote of eighteen to thirteen. The | selection of a Democratic nominee for ! pro tcmpore Of the Senate also re- suited in the choice of q Paynter sup 1 ported T.. W. Hickman.
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