The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1907-02-26
HOW CURTIS GOT SEAT.
Pre-empted One at Mr.. Dicks Sus-
gestion-Didn't Use Force of Arms.

Washington, Feb. 26.-while it is cor
rect that Charles Curtis was especially
favored in securing a seat on the Re
publican side of the senate chamber
! after his advent into that body. it is
not true that he took it, as a Topeka
paper recently printed, by force of
! arms
/ This piece stated that Senator Dick
OF Ohio was about to claim the seat of
the late Senator AIger of Michigan, and
tipped off" Mr.. Curtis. that the latter
might secure the seat he, Senator Dick,
was about to vacate: and that Mr. Cur
/ tbs pumped himself down in the seat
/ just vacated by the Ohioan. Immediate
I ~ after he had taken the solemn oath
/ of office.
1t was partly good luck and partly
the friendly effort of Mr.. Curtis COL
league. Senator Long, that secured for
the new senator seat on the Republi-
can side.
When Senator AIger came to the Re
publican side. after his period of APP
premiership on the Democratic side,
where, by reason of mum bers, new Re
publicans have to go for a time he got
seat very near to the east door of
the senate chamber. where a draft came
through with amazing fortitude. SEN
ator Alger was fraiI and delicate man.
I
Senator Dick exchanged his better seat
for that of Senator Alger. temporarily.
When Senator Alger died, Senator
Dick got his old seat back near the
center of the chamber on the RepubI-
can side. on the outer row. Ss1ator
Sutherland of Utah secured the Dick
seat thus vacated. leaving his own va
cant Had Senator Alger not died, he
would have left the senate on March {,
which would have brought about the
shift in seats. Knowing this before
hand, Senator Long suggested that
Senator Curtis file on the Sutherland
seat and get it on March 4. Senator
Curtis meanwhile would have to sit on
the Democratic side. Senator Ayers
death caused the shift-about earlier,
and Curtis got his new seat on the Re-
publican side the day he was sworn in.
1t should be explained that seats are
not drawn in the senate s in the house
of representa- tives but that one of the
senate officials keeps a record book of
occupants of all seats, and whenever he
feels like it, and has picked out what
seems to him to be a nice. suitable seat
a senator goes to this official and has
his name entered for the seat, regard
less of the probable tenure of the pres
ent occupant of it. Thus some senator
for instance. has filed on the fine seat
Senator Lodge occupies. though that
senator is hale and hearty. and has the
confidence of his constituency. and may
remain. in all likelihood for many years
in the body So the filing was done in
the case of Curtis, even before his re-
turn here. and the Alger death merely
resulted in an earlier shifting-about
than otherwise.
The senate consists of 90 members.
After March f. exactly two-thirds of 1T
will be Republican or 60 of that party.
The seating capacity of the senate is
evenly divided. of course. so that only
As of these 60 Republican senators can
sit on the Republican side. So every
new Republican senator. except in the
rare case of Curtis of Kansas, has to
sit for a time on the Democratic side,
fling meanwhile on some Republican
seat. which he will get in the next shift
about or when death or other success
sion shall come
On the Democratic side therefore, sit
now such Republicans of more or less
recent advent into the body as Knox
of Pennsylvania. Burkett of Nebraska,
Brandegee and Buckley of Connecticut,
DUPONT of Delaware, Mulkey ofOregon.
Smith of Michigan, who is Alger's sue
cessor. and a number of others
Mr. Curtis was therefore exceedingly
fortunate, but by no means was he rash
enough to plump down in a seat" as
described in the dispatch in the Tope-
ka morning paper, and squarely hold
the same against all corners and defy
the practice and precedent of the SEN
ate.