Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1911-05-12
GaIlinger 81; Bacon 35--PrO-
greSSiVes Control Balance.
They Refuse 10 Unite with
Regulars on Caucus Nominee.
Country and City Oppose Each
Other on Reciprocity.

Washington. May 1.-THE inability
of the Republican party in the senate
to control its caucus without the aid of
the Progressives was demonstrated in
the Senate today, when, after more
than 3-hours effort and seven ballots,
the Senate failed to elect Senator Gal
linger of New Hampshire as President
Pro Fempore to succeed Senator Frye
of Maine. Mr.. F'rye's recent resignation
vas based on poor health. Today's
deadlock was due to the opposition of
the Progressive Republican senator's.
Five OF them voted against and three
OF them We're paired against Mr. Gal
linger.
After the Senate convened at >
O'Clock. Vice President Sherman alb
scented himself and Senator Lodge as
sGmed tie chair Immediately Senator
C'1llom, chairman of the Republican
caucus. moved that the Senate proceed
to the election Of d President Pro
fempure and placed Senator Calm
ger in nomination. The nomination of
Senator Bacon OF Georgia by Senator
Merlin, chairman of the Democratic
caucus, followed. Senator La Toilette
performed the same service for Senator
Clamp. Almost at once the balloting
began. Upon the first ballot. It vas APP
paFent that when the Progressixes did
not cast their votes against Mr. Gail
Hrser they were so paired as t. render
effective the votes Of absentees. =Sena-
tor Borah announced his desire to vote
for Gallinger, but said that owing to
a pair with Works. who was unfriendly
~ Of l., Il
he explained that this pair had not
been arranged to injure tile New
Hampshire senator's chances. Dixon
was paired with Cummins and Kenyon
with Bourne
The first ballot totaIled - votes. of
which Bacon, the Democratic candidate.
received So; Gallinger, the Republican
candidate, 90; and Clapp T. Bacon voted
for Tillman, and Clapp for Bristow.
Driscol, La Toilette, Gronna and Poindex-
ter voted for Clapp. Cummins, Bourne.
Work and Crawford, ProgressiVes, were
all absent. but were paired for Clapp, ex-
cept Crawford, who was i'll. All the
Democratic votes were cast for Bacon.
Necessary for a choice. 81
The only change on the second ballot
was that Gallnger, who had refratned
from voting on the previous roll call. vot-
ed for Lodge, bringing the total vote TO
a and making 81 necessary TO elect The
figures for each candidate We're unchang-
ed all through the voting, until on the
last Senator Bradley retired from the
chamber.
of many points of order raised the most
serious one, presented by Rott, related to
the right of a senator to refrain from
voting on account of a pair. Root con-
tended that under the rules all senator's
are required to vote when their names
are called Bailey replied that the custom
of the Senate had so sanctioned pairing
as to render it equivalent to a rule He
said that he would rather be expelled
from the Senate than obey an order to
break a pair.
La Toilette in behalf of the Progress
sives, against whom the criticism was di-
rected, bitterly answered Root.
Il do not recognizes the right Of any
SENATOR he SAID, ito make the point
against me or against any one voting
Is vote that we are voting against
our party. | do not recognize the right
of any secret caucus to dispose of the
public business. l do not propose to be
outlaMed because | cannot agree to
support any man who may be agreed
upon by such a secret meeting,
Ultimately the Chair ruled that a
pair he recognized only as an excuse
for not voting and by a vote the Sen
ate held this a valid excuse.
During the hallotng Stone. Bailey
and other Democrats argued that a
plurality should elect. A decision in
their favor would have elected Bacon
butsthe Chair held against them.
After the fifth ballot Cullom sought
adjournment until Monday, but his
motion was voted down, IS to ~. The
Democrats and Progressives voted in
the negative. But after two more roll
calls La Follettes similar motion pre-
vailed without division. it becoming
apparent that all balloting must be in
effeotIal
r, r. lr-