The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-06-27
la TOILETTE WINS
ANOTHER VICTORY
Fights for Two Hours Before
Compelling Senate to Take
a. Up a Bill.
BY w. w. Jermane.

Washington, June Ex-senator La
Toilette won a notable victory in the
senate yesterday afternoon, but it was
not until after there had been a pro-
longed ilibuster, including some seven
or eight rollcalls:
/ There is a bill in the house, now on
. the calendar introduced by Mr.. Esch,
providing that no railway company may
work it's employees longer than sixteen
hours consecutively. In the senate the
same bill has been introduced by Mr..
I Dolliver and reported from committee.
( Several days ago Mr.. La Toilette an
nounced that he would move today to
/ get the bill for consideration and pas
! sage. Yesterday he made the trick and
succeeded, but he was almost two hours
! at it, the senate during that time go
ing from one rollcall to another.
When the bill was first brought up
Mr.. McCumber of North Dakota made
the point of no quorum. The rollcall
came on Mr. La Follette's motion that
the bill be taken up and made the I'M
finished business Of the senate. This
motion was not debatable; The rollcall
showed that quorum had not respond.
ed to their names, whereupon there was
another call of the senate, disclosing
a quorum. and then another rollcall on
the La Toilette motion to take up the
bill. This second rollcall also showed
that a quorum had not voted.
In this way the senate ran along for
rollcall after rollcall, consuming valu.
/. able time and increasing the bitter
Mr.. La Toilette. .-,-
Finally, Mr.. Hall Of Maine arose and
suggested that all pairs be broken fol-
the purpose Of this vote, as the question
was not one involving any political
principle. This suggestion was fol
lowed, and then the La Toilette motion
prevailed and the Dolliver bill was
made the unfinished business. This
means that it will be debated from now
on until adjournment, or until the sen.
ate is ready for a vote, whenever con.
ference reports and other privilege in
the matters are not up.
Why It Was Done.
It is difficult to determine whethe,
the unwillingness of the senate to yield
to La Toilette grew out Of his being
persona non grata with his republican
associates, or a. determination on the
radical railroad legislation at this SEES
sion. It is probable that both consid
erations affected the filibuster, and per
haps in equal degree. Mr.. Dolliver, al
tho in favor Of this legislation, could
not have forced his own bill to con
slderat1on on an unwilling majority
without himself losing caste There
fore, he would not have attempted it
But La Toilette realizes that he has
nothing to lose in the way of caste ant
so he boldly ventured into the arena
picked up the Dolliver bill as if it hat
been his own, and compelled the senat,
to make it the unfinished business.
Thus does the Wisconsin senate,
score another victory over his republi
widen the breach separating him from
them.
On the request which he made for s
rollcall on. his motion to take the bill
up, the only support he had came from
the democratic side of the chamber. On
request of this kind, one-ffth of thu
senate must consent BY show of tn,
hands. All the democratic hands wen
up and not one republican hand except
ing La: Follette's.