The Birmingham age-herald., 1906-01-02
His Candidate is Made Chair man of Kentucky Caucus
FIGHT FOR SENATOR IS ON
Blackburn and Holdeman Claim That Caucus Vote Was Insufficient to Elect Senator and There
 fore Means Nothing.

Frankfort, Ky, January 1.-An adjourn ment was reached in the democratic House and Senate caucuses of the Ken lucky legislature tonight, the supporters of Judge Thomas H. Paynter, who as pires to succeed J. c. s. Blackburn as United States Senator, apparently domi- mating the situation.
 In the House caucus Paynter man was elected chairman of the cancus and a Paynter man. was named for speaker by vote of 39 to 30.
 In the caucus action the Paynter candi- date for chairman and president pro tenn were nominated by a vote of IS to 13. Adding the votes boiled for Paynter candidates in the two branches gives a total of 57 or four votes more than enough to nominate Judge Paynter if he receives a vote equal to that boiled by the men he put forward tonight. His sup porters also point with jubilation to the tactical advantage they have gained in organizing the two houses.
 Claims Made By Rivals.
 Against these claims are the flat as- sertions of the managers for Senator Blackburn and W. B. Haldeman of Louis vile, the opposing candidates, that number of legislators who voted for Paynter's candidates will not vote for Judge Paynter for Senator in joint eau GUS With these "cross-overs'' they also include six members who did not vote on the races for speaker and President pro tenn.
 Do tot. that their candidate also will receive the votes of several cross-overs. Neither side showed any sign of giving ground after the caucus. the Paynter manager claiming his nomination in joint caucus on the first ballot while the Haldeman and Black burn forces which eonbiRcd in -tn. attempt to organize the two houses, steadfastly asserted that there would be a dead lock.
 The democratic joint caucus on United States Senator will be held tomorrow night at o'clock. The republicans who are in a hopeless minority will also hold their caucus tomorrow.
 First Blood for Paynter.
 The first skirmsh in the battle for United States Senator J. c. s. Black burns seat was won by the Paynter forces in the caucus of the democratic
  tonight The opening tug of war came on the selection of a chairman of the caucus The caucus was not called to order until shortly after o'clock, over an hour of delay being occasioned by the tremendous press of people around the House chamber.
 When Lexis McQuown, chairman of the democratic state central committee, finally brought the members to order and called for the election of a permanent chairman Representative w. J. Gooch, an adherent of Judge Thomas H. Paynter and an administration man. was elect ed over a rival put forth by the Black burn Haldeman combination by vote Of 1 to 8. The result of the vote indi- cated that the Paynter forces would be able to organize the House by electng the chairman and other officials, and the hopes of his supporters accordingly rose higher at the prospect of the great ad- yantages to be derived from the con trol of the House machinery when the bal ioting for United States Senator was taken up.
 insufficient to Elect.
 On the other hand, the Blackburn Hal deman forces pointed out that Paynter's strength as indicated by the vote for ca1lc1ls chairman was insufficient to elect him as senator, and that furthermore sev eral members who voted for Gooch as chairman would vote for Paynter for senator.
 There was a considerable delay before the caucus took up the question of nom- mating a speaker of the house.
 Paynter In Ascendency.
 The vote for speaker of the house dem onstrated that the Paynter forces were in the ascendancy President Lawrence, the Paynter candidate, received 39 votes over R. w. Miller, who received the com bined vote of the Blackburn -Haldeman forces, amounting to thirty. Five repre- sentatives who voted on chairman, did not ballot for speaker. evidently not de- siring to commit themselves in the race for the more important offices on account of its bearing on the senatorial situa- tion. The caucus then proceeded to choose the minor officials of the house.
 The programme agreed on before hand only called for the nomination of house officers, the first caucus ballot on the senat@riai race coming tomorrow after rFcsedy then senate and house will meet Yin joint caucus. Meanwhile the legisla- ture will meet in regular session tomor- row at noon, but beyond preliminaries of organization, no business will be trans acted by either branch.
 The Kentucky legislature consists of 9S representatives and thirty-eight senators. Of the total of 136 votes In the two branches, the democrats control 105, thus making fifty-three votes necessary to nominate a senator in joint caucus.
 In the caucus of democratic senators Henry George. an adherent of Judge Paynter was chosen chairman by vote of IS to 13. The selection of a democratic nominee for president pro tenn of the senate also resulted in the choice of a Paynter supporter-D. w. Hickman.
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 StanfeI Goes to Selma