The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1911-02-28
United States Senate Held in
Session by Filibuster.
Object Was to Prevent a Vote
on LOrimer Case.
QUORUM MAINTAINED.
Crawford Talks s Hours and Is
Followed by BristOw.
Senators Sleep on Lounges Be-
tween Roll Calls.

tween Roll Calls.
All night long the senate struggled
with the Lorimer case, the friends of
the Junior Illinois senator seeking to
break down the determination Of his
opponents not to permit a vote unless
important concessions were made to
them in relation to important
measures of pending legislation At 500
o'clock this morning a recess was ta-
ken until II o'clock and 1t was announc-
ed there was a chance for an agree
ment.
The basis for the proposed agreement
is understood to be that a vote will
be taken ON the Lorimer case at
fixed hour Thursday and that at later
hour the same day a vote will be had
in the permanent tariff board bill; that
the amendment to the postoffice ap-
preparation bill proposing an increase
of the postal rates on the advertising
sections of magazines will be eliminated
and that still other concessions will be
made
AT one time it was suggested that
an agreement might be reached by a
division which would permit a vote on
| the Canadian reciprocity agreement
with pledge in advance that enough
members pledged to vote for the COM
mercial pact would absent themselves
| and encompass Its dfeat.
The purpose of this suggestion was
to avoid an extraordinary session If
| possible. 1t is not believed, however,
| that there will be any trade by which
| the Canadian reciprocity agreement
will be sacrificed, although 1t is not
| likely that a vote can be had in the
senate on this measure.
| Washington, Feb. 28.-Vice President
| Sherman gazed wearily over the senate
and toyed idly with his favorite ivory
gavel as the electric lights were turned
out over the opaque and emblematic
stained glass ceiling of the chamber
today and the daylight was allowed 10
| stream in.
Dressed in evening clothes which he
wore at midnight when he came from
| his annual reception to official Wash
| ington, Mr. Sherman looked strangely
out of place. He had no use for the
gavel. The senate had been in session
all night and individually and colfec-
| lively the members were too tired to
create any disorder.
Mr. Sherman left the chair at 7:15 to
be succeeded by Senator Brandegee Of
| Connecticut.
Another filibuster was in progress.
Another name had been added to the
| list of long distance takers The lungs
of Senator Crawford of South Dakota
were the medium through which vote
on the Lorimer case had been prevent
ed during the night in the face of de-
termination on the part of Senator
Lorimer's supporters to put the en-
durance of mis- opponents to test
| More members were kept in the SER
ate chamber throughout this night than
on any occasion within the recollection
of the most experienced legislator
present. Again and again there were
roll calls to develop whether there was
a quorum and not once did the attend
ance fall below sc which is 20 more than
a majority of the senate membership.
Among those who were there during
the greater part of the time were Sem
ators Isaac Stephenson of Wisconsin,
the eldest of all, Gallinger, Perkins,
Buckley and others of the veterans.
| Whenever the bells were sounded for q.
roll call scenes were depicted not un-
like those in city parks at dawn fol-
lowing long, sultry summer nights.
Sleep Is Disturbed.
The bell in the senate chamber was
like the rap of policeman'S baton
signalling the sleepers that it was time
to turn out. Every one of the leather
settees was occupied by a sleeper This
condition not only existed in the cloak
rooms and in the marble room but
around the walls of the chamber. AS
the senator's names were called they
would pile off the improvised beds and
take their places until their names
We're reached. Then there would be
scrambles for places for there were not
There were men in the chamber
who sought no rest. They were the
men who were seeking some outlet
; from the tangled situation, some
agreement by which a vote could be
taken on the Loriner case and other
, measures, such as the permanent tar
! iff board bill which entered into the
, confusion and was partly responsible
for the refusal of a vote on the ques-
tion of the junior Illinois senator's
! n retain
In this gr&lp were Senators Bur-
! rows. Crane Smoot and Carter, Re-
: pubiicans, and Bailey, Paynter and a
= | few other Democrats from among
: those who favor the exoneration of Mr..
3 Lorimer. In addition, there were a
) number of insurgent Republicans and
Democrats who are opposed to Mr.
e Lorimer and would not consent to a
l vote unless concessions were made by
: which votes on a number of other mat
t ters could be assured.
3 The latter group included Senators
LaFollette, Cummins. Borah and
Clapp, Republicans, and Senators
Owen and Stone, Democrats. All night
e long these negotiations were pending.
! Sometimes there were movements on
: the floor which led to reports that a
v settlement was near, but always some
r thing interfered.
Bristow Holds the Floor.
The flibuster actually began when
Senator Hale failed at $50 yesterday
: to get an amendment to recess to 8
: o'clock for the purpose of transactine
+; regular business. Mr.. Bailey sought
(; an agreement then for vote on the
{; Loriner case. Mr.. Cummins wanted
: coupled with the motion an agreement
: to vote on the tariff board bill. The
j; two senators proved unyielding. Even
if they had come together, there was
mo assurance that some other senator
would not have objected Mr.. Bailey
: announced then that there was no re-
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