Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1911-02-09
HISTORY MADE BY
v|CE-PRES|DENT
Broke Ties in Connection with
Three Successive Roll Calls
in the Senate.
SAVED SHIP SUBSIDY
Forced Adjournment on a Vote
Having Direct Bearing on
Election of Senators by
the People.
SAVED SHIP SUBSIDY

washington, Feb. 2.--For the hrst
time in the history of the government
the Vice President Of the United
states to-day exercised his constitu-
tional preroGative of casting a vote
to break ties in connection with three
successive roll calls in the Senate.
BY the first of these votes he saved
from impending defeat the ocean
mail, or ship subsidy bill, and by the
third forced an adjournment Of the
Senate on a vote having direct bear
ing on the resolution looking to the
election of senators by direct vote Of
the people. The vote on the passage
Of the subsidy bill. both in commit
tee of the whole and in the Senate
proper, stood 80 ayes and SO noes, and
on adjournment, 81 ayes and 81 noes.
on all three occasions the Vice Presi-
dent voted in the affirmative.
Another notable occurrence in connec-
ton with the vote on the subsidy bill
was the absence of the new democratic
senator from West Virginia, Clarence
Wayland Watson, who had just taken
his scat as successor to Senator Elkins.
Mr.. Watson voted on only one roll call.
that an affirmative on an amendment Of
fered by Mr.. Shively OF Indiana. regulat-
ing the aggregate expenditures which
may be made under the terms Of the bill,
which indicated his opposition to the
measure. Then ne disappeared, and when
the next ballot was taken, Mr.. Scott, his
republican colleague, announced MIR.
Watson's absence saying he was away
ION important business"
After the final result became known
the opponents of the bill, including all
of the democrats. realized that Mr..
Watson's absence had prevented the
democrat present during any of
the roll calls whose vote was not cast
against the measure.
Tho flnal vote on the bill came after
three hours of determined conflict
over amendments. Apparently there
was no general appreciation OF the
sharp division which afterward devel-
oped, and as a BODY the Senate was
unprepared for the tie votes.
MANY AMENDMENTS REJECTED.
When the subsidy bill was laid be-
fore the Senate at two o'clock, Sena-
tor Galinger presented substitute
for the entire original measure. which
GRANTED bounty only TO American
built vessels, plying from American
norts 70 tho southern half NJ South
America. Tho substitute extended the
subsidy to the Philippines. Japan,
China and Australia.
Senator Simmons delivered a set speech
diroc.od ,ooirst srhsidios T., ronorol
and in especial opposition to the Gal
hngcr bill. Senator shively followed with
fight by means both of amendment
and argument. He presented n provision
including the land expense incurred in
connection with ocean-CoinC mail in the
total expenditure of that account as q
basis for computing the surplus Of ocean
mail earnings over expensos. which. If
is provided in the bill. shall no, be ex
ceeded hv the total hountv Tho amend
,,,t ~ -. - =, -
amendment 70 extend the nrovi.ions os
the bill n all Amorioan-ou-oad vessels
was lost a. ~ 20 ana ouerdr,er,s ~,
Senators Nevlands of Ne,ada and Io,os
Of WASHINGTON tba forrnor rro,,idir- to,.
an auxiliary navy ~ tbirtv veesals ard
the latter conririnr th. rrorosad Mounts.
,o sbirs . -, XIII. ,..
rejected
VIZ MILD SENSATIONS.
BEFORE fin, final bauo, -, 3D., h,l ,,.o,
reached tbaro war. two mia s.,...to-a
Ono was o,,,,,., l.. So, o..
~, ' W "c''''o' owen ot
li1.rer ar.b.r 90 o,,,l .,r.,. o., 49,.
bin
Assorti,e, .,a, IT, ......i.-..
aproarert ,,,,,.r ..I,,, 60.
nroceod,,e, w. -
IL or IL sorators ,,.o,.o ,,.,'a,,, w.,
fore should 49,. ~. .i-,,
49,, a. '.N' '1 ''1,"' '"o oN'''
eral declaration against tho condrct nt
any business by The present Congress
He gave as his reason for his position
that men at present in public life had
been repudiated Mt the polls last No
Vemoer.
The only proper and becoming course
which this Senate and this Congress
could pursue under the circumstances
he said lis TO adjourn sine die on the
| broad ground that they no longer have
| the moral or ethical right to exercise the
leElslative powers Of the people Of the
nlted States
When Senator William Alden Smith OF
Mlchisan announced his intention tt
| 'aSl ms vote in opposition TO the bill
| anu al the same time stated that he he
| W. ~ DISCRIMINATING duties IN favor
~ ''a" vessels Mr Gallinser replied
or pay
Understand ha