Evening journal., 1909-01-05

Those who stuck by SAnator Conner.
lside from himself. were Senators Miller.
pf New Castle county; Reed and life. OF
sussex Mr.. Barnard voted for Mr. Bar
nard and Mr.. Drexler for Mr.. Drexler.
The additional votes received by Mr..
Sparks and Mr.. Conner were Il IS sup
posed, cast by Mr.. Barnard and Mr.. Drex-
Ter. II was generally accepted that Sem
ator Barnard would not vote for Mr.. Con-
ner. so it is supposed that Mr.. Drexler
gave Mr. Conner a vote occasionally. just
as he did 20 Mr.. Sparks.
There was no speechnakng In the Re
publican caucus just voting, voting. vot-
ing until it became a monotony. There
were ten Senators In the caucus. Senator
Thomas G. Moore. OF Smyrna, who has
been IN for nearly two years being alb
sont. Whether he may be brought from
sanaarlum 10 Dover to cast a decisive
vote In the deadlock, is not known. but Il
Is hardly likely. II IS doubtful whether
he win attend the session at all unless
his vote Is absolutely required for some
important measure IN which he may be
deeply interested.
How Soper Reasons.
Ihat the Democrats faced trouble
was evident early I'm the evening. and
II was as evident, too, that Repre-.
sentative Soper was 70 be the CHIEF
actor in the path OF the orderly pro-
cedure OF the Democratic hosts. In
iact many OF the wise ones looked for
the Democrats TO run afoul OF shoals
created by the apple king of Della
ware as Mr.. Soper is termed. Being
from the county that elected the most
Democratic representatives, Mr.. Sopcr
reasoned that his county should be
given the choice of the offices-spealSer
OF the House, and by the same pro-
cess of reasoning he could see no ex
cuse for not choosing him as Speaker.
In an effort 70 try TO patch up differ.
ences the Democrats hung around tho
Capitol Hotel until after ten o'clocl,
before they went through the motions
of going into caucus Before the great
array Of Democrats moved State
Houseward there were all the surface
symptoms Of trouble ahead. And there
We're reports. too, that the New Castle
county members, one member from
Kent and four from Sussex, had franz
ed up slate and were going 10 put
II through. Mr.. Soper's name was not
VIZ AM' RinA'f NN AANt MMNf anu IL Mll
not take long for this report TO leak
through the Democratic crowd and
lodge in Mr.. Soper's ear. ell has good
charing, and aftef hearing the rumor
that he had been scratched off the slate
and was not 10 be in the real running
he said some things. one Of them
was that he was not going TO stano
for that kind OF politics. ITS 10 be
Soper OF nobody" some wise one para
phrased a political utterance Of few
years ago that has gone down In HIS
tory and resulted in many "nobodies'
/ before somebody was elected United
| States Senator.
/ Opening the Caucus.
II was eleven o'clock before Repre-.
sentative Brookson led the way into
/ the House chamber, and other Demo.
Gratis followed at desutory intervals
/ The gosslplng politicians who were moi
OF the elect OF the Democratic side o
the House We're shooed from the room
and the caucus was opened. Repre-
sentative William M. Connolly wal
chosen chairman of the caucus. Ther'
were speeches, many of them. TheI
| Representative Brockson placed Mr.
Soper's name before the caucus. Amonl
other things ho said Kent was entitle,
90 the speaker. and Mr.. Soper ahouli
be the speaker. Representative Con
nelly placed the name of Representa-
tive n. q. Coopr. of Wilmington. 4
nomination as a man qualified by Ion
experience and IN every other way Z
be speaker. Bhen the ballot was taSer
II gave DR. Cooper ten votes. MI
! Soper seven votes and Representativ
Brockson one vote. Representativ
? Harvey p. Hall was said to be IN
Ken countian who voted with the Ne,
Castle county delegation. Mr. Sope
received one vote from Sussex. an
the remaining Sussex votes went [
Dr. Cooper That nominated Di
Cooper for speaker
Then II came 10 clerk Of tho Housi
The names of William B. Megear. q
Smyrna and Benjamin Collision, q
Greenwood, were put before the caucus
q Mr.. Megear received ten votes and Nh
Collision seven. The slate OF earlier ]
the evening, framed before the caucus
was going through as though mounte
+ on roller bearings. Mr.. Soper bega
10 take notice.
Reading clerk was the next office &
, order TO be decided upon. but some
body tried TO throw n brick throug
. tho slate by trying Go have the attor
b ney for the House next agreed upoI
After much arguing this move wa
forestalled. and the caucus went int
the nomination of a reading clerk
Edward McNabb. of Wilmington, land
ed this honor. lie received ten vote
Soper Bolts Caucus.
AIR Soper again took notice.
fact. he took so much notice that h
decided 10 leave the House chambe
and go into the corridor where b
: notice would have a greater oxpans
. TO behold. He was warm, too,
, might be remarked. hot. Il was som'
what sitting In tho House chambe
and corridor. but that was not tt
e cause OF Mr. Sopers warmth. II
- startling repitition OF ten votes fC
81 the winner caused Itepresentati'
. Soper's temperature TO rise to the hig
q mark he receives for many Of h
[ choice apples.
When he bolted the caucus a crow
t, of his friends gathered about hin
"Stay out, don't you go back the
, advised him. "We're with you. kei
rnrrza--lullluuuln-lIl