Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1908-06-01

Ir1,r sss. Once the trst name has been
called-it happens hat Senator Aldrlch
htads the roll, and he responded with
feverish alaerity- the filibusler was
brlken.
There was a scramble to get the otier
flibus,tr,. Senator Stone had steppe d
into TIE cIoakroom--il is said on the
inv.tuion of one of Sens tor Aldrich's
allies-where he was being detained By
convt .aiioD.
Senat Lsfolltt!e rushed up stairs
trisllug with anger, but It was OF no
agsil. The opportunity had passed to
kill currency legislation at this session.
The foundation for these proceedings
bad been shrewdly laid. Probably no
one but veteran parlismeptarian of
long service as senator could have
succeeded. Esrier in the day Senat lr
AIdrich found a chance to secure an
order thst when the vote on the currency
bill conference report was taken 1t be by
rolI-call. That preliminary would have
given sufficient time ordinarily for the
opposition to start another speech. IL
hsd been ( rgo'tsn when Senator Gore
was concluding by all who we're not in
formed about the plot.
The bill carried AZ to %. Contrary
u expectation, four republicans, Borah,
Bouroe, Brown and HeyJurl, joined
with them. 1t was announced thst
Kittridge and Hsnsbough, absentees
from the Dakoiss, wonld have voted no
IL present Senator LafOlleits will go
down in the Record as having vo'ei for
the bill he flibuslerad sgaiOst. He de-
Glazed that be was doing 80 only that
be might qualify for motion to recon-
slider.
Before an audience lhi t filed the gal
l.rits and included mo of the House
membt rs Senator Is Folelt, the moment
the vote was announced, hundred for
recognit on. He waLt.d to move recon-
sid. ration.
Senator Hepburn mad because the
vice president had rsfUs d him chance
10 speak when Senator Aldrich asked
fr tue yeas and nsys, was lrying to g.
the vice presidential eye, standing in the
center aisle, poiI ng finger 81 his own
chest. That was the emergency s'gnsI
to fix the a tantion Of the vice president.
5eust)r Lsfoll,tt, WIS compelled FIR day
evening to speak from his own desk, as
the Senate rules required. Sir" he
rosred, 81 demand chance to make a
point OF order. The Senst from
Rhode Island ia not at his desk. have
been. | was asking recognition when
he addressed the chair"
"Poirt ovelrdled," snapped the vice
president EWrJ republican wss tense
ly watching and esgerly cooperating to
crush the Wisconsin senator Of TIER
own psrtg. The Senft, in the next few
moments mercilts,ly ran over him.
Senators Foraker andI Hale were The
chief lientenanls in the operation.
There was a roll-call to reconsider and
than q ollcall TO lay that on the table,
which absolut ly precluded any pos.
sibility of &c ting the bill again before
the Senate.
The big and unprecedented bst le
promised to become exceedingly import
ant in a parliamentary wpy. 1t hardly
presages Senate clOtuTe rIle but it has
established precedents in that direction
and demonstrates a new and old Senate
saying that a de'ertnined majority can
prevail assins, q dear mined nlibusttr
Probably all concerned, even SENT r
LsFollette, were glad that the end came.
If he was TO be beaten, as seemed GER
tain, he preferred that to q -long-endur-
auce test. Had it continued test Of
the vice-rrlsiden's ruling that the main
tenauce of quorum is not necessary and
over the right 10 prohibit senator from
speaking more than once in day, WITH
the Interpretation that day is a legisla-
tive day, which may be prolonged to
any length, would have been inevitable.
Those mat ers involve great fundamental
que,tions, tjuchng tho practice OF the
Senate Tor more than 100 yet r. and pro-
foundy affect the rights of the minority.
A bitter parliamentary battle might
have been precipiiated. Had the slrug-
gle once started il might have kept Con-
gress in session indefinitely. AS II is,
Vice. President Fairbanks will likely be
severely criticised by advocates OF un-
trammeled speech in tho Senate. They
include practically all the older republic
cans who, however, were wiling t. go to
any length t. crush LfFollette.
1t is reported that trlats by tie re-
publican leaders of the Senate to pass
cloturs bill, of which minorities in thu t
body have stood in fear since the begin
niog Of the republic, resulted in bring
ing the flibuster to an end. The repub-
licsns told the dsm0Cr Is they must use
their influence to call of Messrs. Stone
AMI @ r.. else The "gsg, rule would APP
pear. The southern democrats remember
ed their successful all.sstsiOn 6libuster
against the famous force bill, when they
were led by the lsts Senator German.
Fearing that another such Dire exigency
mSy arise, the democrats we're unwilling
to see the mai ,rily Of the Senate do any
thing to make 1t impossible, s,they gave
Mr.. LaFolietle but little support
Some tllK is going the rounds that
Senator Stone was called of by his demo-
cratic colleagues during the hslf-hour re-
cess, and that that is why he WAS not on
hand when the blind Senttlr had done.
Both Senator L3FoltttB aud Senator
Gore acquit Mr.. stone of such perfidy.
No one can be blamed, they both say.
The dr,st'c measures used to choke off
the LsFolle ts iilibuit'r has caused COM
mer I on the radical departure from the
Senate traditions of allowing unlimited
debate.
MONETARY COMMISSION.
Vice.P President Fairbanks Saturday