Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1909-02-05
A BONE Of CONTENTION
Confirmation OF Negro as Col
lector OF Port Promises
Long Filibuster
GIVES TILLMAN A CHANGE
GIVES TILLMAN A CHANCE
Senate Sat Down on Fiery Member
When He Wanted to Make Speech
Postal Savings Bank Bill Has Two
Narrow Escapes From Being Ditched
Washington News.
Especial Correspondence

Washington Feb. 5.-The democratic
executive-session filibuster against the
confirmation of DR.. William d. Crun1
as collector of the port at Charleston,
s. c., promises to become memorable.
DIR. Crum is the colored man VINO
seems destined to be a bone of con-
tention in the senate. There was a long
and bitter fight over confirmation when
he was first named, years ago, in the
early stages of the Roosevelt admins
tration. Then there was a renewal of
the struggle recently when he was re-
appointed.
Senator Tillman is determined that
at least there shall be no confirmation
at this session, because he wants to
make it q test case for Taft. If con-
f1rmation fails now, the appointment
will expire with the end of this SEES
sion, and recess appointment will be
needed. Tillman wants to find nut
whether Taft will renew the nomina-
SlOil. IL lie Tie SOutilSiL uSiilpSis 'es'
calculate that it will arouse enough
antagonism among the lily whites OF
the south to end the menace of Tafts
propaganda for breaking up the dem
ocracy in that section. If he doesn
it is expected to cause disaffectlon
among colored people at the north ana
ALLEVIATE them from Taft. In any case
it promises to become a fine substitute
for the Brownsville case as an appeal
to prejudice.
When the senate went into eXecu-
tive session on the case yesterday Sem
ator Tillman wanted to make speech,
but before he got around to it he dis
covered that no quorum was present.
He demanded a roll call for a quorum,
and the point of order was made
against him that a senator can not or
der call of the chamber to provide
himself with quorum to listen to a
speech.
Tillman declined to take this view
of it. The same ruling was made at
the time of La Follettes famous fill
buster. speech against the Aldrich bill
last session. and at that time it stood,
Senator Aldrich getting the credit.
reason for standing by the former de-
ctsion. There was prediction, when that
ruling was made against La Toilette,
that it would come back to curse the
senators who acquiesced in it: for the
senate, after all. loves its privileges Of
talking as long as it pleases, and be-
ing taken seriously while it is doing
so.
The executive session was promptly
resolved into a debating society on
this question in parliamentary pro-
cedure. 1t developed that our liberties
were menaced grievously: that funda
mental principles of senate procedure
We're about to be wrecked; and that if
the precedent of last session be sus
tanned, the power of the individual
senator was likely to be destroyed. The
result was that a long afternoon ses-
sion was devoted to the question OF
rules, and then no decision Was
reached.
The postal savings bank bill has had
two narrow escapes this week from go
ing by the board, according to the par
Hamentary sharps.
ington. called up minor bill, and
moved that the senate take it up for,
consideration That sort of motion
looks innocent enough; but if it had
passed the bill refer. d to would have
displaced the postal savings measure
as the unfinished business of the SEN
ate, and 1t would have been all over
with the postal measure for this ses-
sion-which would not have aggrieved
the powers of the senate.
Senator Birkett rose and inquired if
this would be the effect of adopting
the motion, and was informed that it
would. The motion was not pressed,
but it would undoubtedly have carried
but for the inquiry.
The lext, day Senator Foraker
pressed for unanimous agreement for
a time to vote on his Brownsville bill.
There was long discussion of che
matter, of the danger of crowding out
appropriation bills, etc, but not. a
word was said about the postal savings
bank bill. The unanim Gus consent ar
rangement had been framed up and the
chair was about to put it to the house
to ask if there were objections, when
Mr.. Birkett was again on his feet. He
wanted specification that this agree
ment should not displace the postal
bank measure as unfinished business.
The wise men on the republican side
nodded assent to this, and the agree
meRt was thus amended to establish
the right of way of the postal bill. But
for this the postal bill, under strict
construction of the rules, would have
been displaced. Senator Burkett sits on
the lid all the time, watching for ef-
forts to fill off this measure. He wants
to force a vote on it this session, but
expectation that it will come to such
a test is fast oozing away. In any case
1t hasn't the ghost of chance at a
vote in the house.
In the District Court.
The case for damages because of al
legged personal injuries, which was
brought by Olaf Westergaard, against