The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1911-01-13
Lee and Murtha Vote With
Senate ObStructiOniStS
(From a star Correspondent. }

pretexl tnht PUBIC servants against
whom no charges OF inefficiency had
been made should be allowed to I'LL
out their terms, the Warner followers
In the senate yesterday succeeded In
mastering enough Democratic and
other votes TO confirm all but one or
the Warner interim appointments,
thus overriding the manifest will OF
the people voting for housekeeping.
The effort OF Senators William Brad
le- and Carl Mapes, of Kent county
TO have the fight In the open. was
unsuccessful, and with the public ex-
cluded and blinds drawn, the solons
fought for three hours.
After some routine business. the
principal feature OF which was to re-
fuse TO concur in the house joint reso-
luton for doing away with expensive
junkets, the motion was made that
the senate go into executive session to
consider the appointments.
Senator Bradley sprang to his feet
with the motion that I'VE thrash this
matter out I'm public"
Lieut. Gov Ross rules that the mo-
ton was out OF order as the ground
was covered by the previous motion.
In moving that the senate hold It's
meeting without locking the doors TO
the chamber, Senator Bradley de-
clared that the matter of naming the
appointments was one which concern
Ell al. the people Of the state, and that
for that reason the session should
Lot be executive.
II had talk with Governor Os-
born" said Bradley, and after listen
ing TO what he said, have no doubt
m vyo fol
II II could be held over for few
days"
Senator Leidlein OF Saginaw was
one OF Bradley's chief hackers. you
talk Of holding an executive session"
said the Saginaw scion. Il have new
er attended an executive session yet
Dut what the full account was not
printed In the newspapers almost be-
fore We left the capitol The people
have a right to know what's going on
In the work OF confirming these up
pointments. and by closing the doors
ave are not acting as faithful SER
wants"
Senator Mapes then arose, and quot
ed from the senate rules, showing that
rule no. As provided that a session In
which appointments are made should
ne executive. The Grand Rapids SEN
ator moved that the rule be suspend
ed, but the lieutenant-governor decar-
ed that the motion calling for an ex.
ecutive session was In order.
Those who voted to conduct the ses-
sion In open were: Senators Bradley,
Fowle, Leidlein, Moriarty, Wander
werp, Vaughan, Ward. Watkins, Wet
er, Virgins. Those who voted to hold
the session behind closed doors were,
Senators Barnaby, Cartier, Collins
Foster, Freeman, Kingman, Klein,
Lee, Mapes, Miller, Murtha Newton,
Putney, Rosenkrans F. d. Scott G. G..
Scott, Smell. Taylor, Walter, White.
Some OF those who supported the
movement to hold the session by
themselves excused themselves by
saying that IL was a custom which
had prevailed for many years. One
senator, who played the leading role
for closed door session. declared aft.
erwards that the reason he supported
the closed door movement was be-
cause he feared that much would be
said In the session which would be
detrimental to the senate II IL found
its way into the newspapers. 81 fear
ed that some things would be said
about the governor" said the senator.
Although my fears were groundless,
IL would have looked bad, had the
newspapers printed what some sena.
tors might have said about the chief
executive"
Senator Fowle, chairman of the
committee on executive affairs, which
had the appointments under consider.
alton, moved that all the Osborn ap.
pointments be confirmed Senator
Fowle made an impassioned speech.
declaring that the people OF Michigan.
as mass, had expressed their senti-
ments against the Warner regime as
strongly as they could when they
voted for Chase g. Osborn and his
housekeeping policies He said that
the appointment of the Warner men
would be direct reputation of the
peoples wishes as they expressed
them at the polls. Senator Fowle
closed by saying that he thought that
the governor should have about him
senators who would clean out all
vestiges OF the Warner machine, and
thereby aid in keeping the party's
pledge.
One senator who led the fight for
the Warnerites, observed after the
fight was over that the action of the
senate was not slap at the governor.
he SalO IL was merely matter OF
principle; that the Warner appointees
were confirmed because II was not
the custom TO throw out officials who
had not been inefficient.
Senator Lee, OF Detroit, stated that
he knew well that both his party, the
Democratic. and the Republican party,
had declared for a housekeeping.
81 do not want II to appear that,
am antagonizfng the governors efforts
10 clean out" said Lee But during
my campaign. declared for civil ser.
vice. and | do not think that officials
should be turned out when IL is not
shown that they neglected their duties.
II surely would not have been in &C
cordance with the principles Of civil
service to refuse these officials their
.reappointment"
During the session, Senator Fowle
offered to withdraw the name OF Perry
+. Powers, as state labor commissions
er, giving as his reason the fact that
he had once assured the governor that
there were enough votes to confirm
Powers, but now wished TO withdraw
the name so that his representations
TO the governor would not be dis
proven. Dick Fletcher's nomination
noe then nraaaptad I'm tho vof y