The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1908-05-30
NO REST FOR Them
Senators Were Held in Ihelr
Seats All Night
BY the Filibuster Carried on Dy
La Toilette.
ROUTED OUT OF BED
Absentees We're Dragged In at
Three O'Clock A. NJ.
ROUTED OUT OF BED
By Sergeant-at-Arms to Make
Up a Quorum.

II
ate. in a determined effort to prevent
the passage of the Vreeland-Aldr1ch
compromise currency bill. After con-
Quoting an all-day filibuster, largely
by his own individual efforts, he per-
sistently carried his fight through the
night, raising the question OF no
quorum whenever the required num-
Der of senators was not present. By
an agreement with Senator Stone, La
Toilette was to conduct the f1libuster
during the night and was to be re-
lieved by Stone this morning.
At 2:3O o'clock Senator La Toilette
insisted on a roll call on his usual
point of no quorum. The chair sus-
tanned his previous ruling that the
call under the rule could not be or
dered and from that decision Mr.. La
Toilette appealed. Mr.. Aldrich was
prompt to move to lay the appeal on
the table. A number of Democrats
refused to vote and Mr.. Aldrich in
sisted that they should be required
to do so. The vote disclosed several
short of a quorum and absentees
were notified. At o'clock this morn
ing no quorum had been obtained.
During the skirmish for a quorum
the senate leaders under an order pre-
viously adopted directing the SER
geant-at-arms to bring in the
absentees decided to compel the at
tendance of Mr.. Stone, who is slated
to relieve Mr.. La Toilette under the
latter's programme. A policeman was
started for the Raleigh hotel at 3:15
o'clock to arrest them.
The first senator to appear in re-
sponse to the summons was Mr..
Owen of Oklahoma. He bore every
evidence of having been routed out
of bed without necktie or collar and
his shoes were unlaced.
At $3.50 o'clock the senate was still
waiting for a quorum on the vote to
lay Mr.. La Follette's appeal on the
table.
At 3:40 o'clock a quorum appeared.
The appeal was laid on the table and
Senator La Toilette resumed his re-
marks after having secured an hours
rest by his move.
Senator Stone was brought to the
capitol at BIAS.
1t has been a long time since the
senate has been tied up by filibuster
with such slender support as was in
evidence when Senator LaFollette un-
dertook to defeat the conference re-
port on the Aldrich- -Vreeland CURRENCY
bill by talking it to death. The report
was brought up shortly after 1 O'Clock
yesterday and Mr.. LaFollette took the
floor. He insisted that a quorum
should be maintained at all times and
up to o'clock he had demanded
twenty roll calls. The senate was able
to obtain more or less relaxation and
at the same time keep the supporters
of the bill in their seats. The heat
was excessive and many were very
restless under the restraint. It soon
became evident that the Republicans
would have difficulty in maintaining
the presence of majority and it was
Just as apparent that proceed
ings would be suspended whenever
the necessary forty-seven senator's
were not present. Mr.. LaFollette
complained of his recent illness. and
during much of the day leaned strong
ly upon the arm of his chair, half SIT
ing as he talked. He engaged Mr.
Aldrich in a colloquy concerning the
provisions of the currency bill and Ia
ter declaring that the chairman of the
finance committee had not been
frank" in his replies. He was called
to order and only after a vote of the
senate had restored him to his right
on the floor did he. continue his re-
marks. All senator's except Mr.. For
aker voted to permit him to continue.
Aldrich Is Firm.
Shortly after o'clock Mr. La Fol-
d Proposition
would be agreed to to strike out rail-
road bonds and stocks from the LIST of
securities contemplated in the confer
ence agreement, but Mr. Aldrich
promptly declined the offer, saving the
adoption of the report was the only
question before the senate and addin1
that so far as he was concerned he
had neither power nor disposition to
make the concession suggested Mr.
Aldrich declared the report would re-
main before the senate until March 4
1903, If necessary. The Wisconsin
senator, with usual firmness. replied
that he would continue his Opposition
since that was the only course nre-
sente dto him. The twentv-first call
to ascertain whether there was
quorum present was made by Mr.
Gore at 6:45 p. m. He consulted
to raising the point of no
quorum, which suggested that these
senators were actually in svmnatbv
with the Wisconsin senator Messrs
Gore and Stone left the chamber dur-
ing the roll call and did not respond
to their names.
LaFollette threatened during the
day to keep the senate in session three
weeks. but the support he will get in
order to continue his tactics at the end
of his physical endurance is yet to he
seen. 1t is understood that Senator
Stone, who is opposed to the bill will
give active support to the flibuster
and Senator Gore manifested some
sympathy at times by noting the ab
sence of a quorum. AS body, how
ever, the Democrats are positively op-
posed to obstruction to the Republi-
cans.
But eighteen members were in their
seats when the house reconvened at
o'clock. After nearly an hours wait