The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-02-03
He Saves Ship Subsidy
Bill From I1npend-
ing Defeat.
w WATSON CAUSE
OF ITS VICTORY
Had New Democratic Senator
Remained in Seat Measure
Would Have Been Beaten.
Vice-President's V otes
First IncidentSo Of Kind
in Country's History.

the hrst time In the history of the gov
crnmcnt, the vicc-I1rcsiLent of the
United Stntes to-day exercised hi. pre-
rognsiIc IN castinE n4votc to break
ties In connection with three successive
roll cn1ls In the Sennfs. by the first
of these votes lie saved from Impending
defeat the ocean mail Or ship subsidy
bill, md by the third forced m I'D
Journrnent of the Scnnfe on n vote iav-
Ing direct bearing upon the resolution
iooi>fnS to the election of Senators BIZ
direct vote OF the peopI;.
The vote on the passage of the sub
sidy bill, both in committee OF the whole
and in the Senate proper. stood thirty
nine ayes and ;hirty-nine noes, and on
thirty seven noes. On all three pcca
sions the Vice President voted in the
affirmative.
New senator Absent
Another notable occurrence in con.
nection with the vote on the subsidy
Bill was the absence of the new Demo-
cratic Senator from West Virginia,
Clarence Wayland Watson, who had
taken his seat early in the day as the
successor TO Senator Eikins. Mr.. Wat
son was in the Senate cha mber for onl y
few moments during the session, and
voted only on one roll call. This vote
was cast on an amendment offered by
Mr. Shtvely, OF Indiana. regulating the
aggregate expenditures which may be
made under the terms of the bill On
this provision the new West Virginia
Senator cast his vote In the affirma-
tive, thus indicating his opposition to
the measure
After casting this vote he disau
pearud. and when the ballot was taken
MIR. Scott. his Republican colleague.
annornced Mr. Watson.s absence, say
ing that he vas away ION important
business. Thu rcsuI on This roll call
vas 50 close as to render material the
presence or absence Of any Senator
and no notice vas taken Of the fact
That Mr.. Watson was not in attend
ancc.
When the final result became known,
the opponents Of the bill including all
OF the Democrats, realized that MIR
Watson's absence had prevented the de-
teat or the bill He was the only
Democrat present during any of the
roll calls whose vote was not cast
against the measure
Sennte Surprised.
The final vote on the Bill came after
three hours of determined conflict over
amendments Apparently there was no
general appreciation OF the sharp d.
vision which afterwards developcd and
for the tie votes. The thirty-nine SEN
ators who voted for the mea sure were
all Republicans. Those voting against
the Dill were made up Of combination
OF lnsurgent Republicans and Demu-
Gratis. as follows:
Beverage, Borah. Bourne, Bristow.
Grown, Burton. Crawford, Cummjns
Gamble. Gronna, La Toilette, McCum-
Der and Smith. of Michigan. Republl-
cans; Bacon. Bankhead. Chamberlain
Clarke. of Arkansas; Culberson, Fletch
er. Foster, Frazier. Johnston. Martin
Newlands. Overman, owen, Paynter.
Percy. shively Simmons. Smith. Of
Maryland; Smith, OF South Carolina !:
Stone, swanson. Taliaferro, Taylor.
Terrell. Thornton and Tillman, Demo
Gratis. Total. thirty-nine.
Eight Senator's were paired-Money
with Young, Bailey with Buckley, Gore
with Depew and Rayner with Rich
ardson Five Senators-Aldrich. Clapp.
LAWS. Sutherland and Nelson-did not
vote and were not paired.
Mr.. Gronna. the new Senator from
North Dakota, although a Republican.
voted against the bill on all roll calls
When. in accordance with the pre-
vious agreement. the subsidy bill was
laid before the Senate at > o'clock, Sen
ator Gallinger presented a substitute
ior the entire measure as originally in
troduced The first bill granted a
bounty only to Americana built vessels
Dying from American ports to the
southern half OF South America, but the
substitute extended it to the PbiIin-
pines, Japan, China and Australasia.
Senator simmons was the first sneak
er to raise his voice in opposition. Fla
Delivered set speech, directed against
subsidies in general, and in especia1
opposition to the Gallinger bill.
Amendments were offered to this III,
by Senator's Shively, Of Indiana: stone
Of Missouri; Newlands. of Nevada and
Jones' OF Washington. but all were lost
Mild Sensations
Before the final ballot on tho Nil
itself was reached there were two mia
by Senator Owen, OF Oklahoma. ana IN =
other by Senator Gallinger, author and
sponsor for the bill
Asserting that the Unanimous %, .
sent agreement under which tho Sen
ate was proceeding had been obtair,<,
when only fifteen or sixteen S.natnrs
were present, and thcref for, it shouid
not be recognized tho Oklahoma Sen.
ator passed speedily to a general dec
laration against the conduct OF nnr
business by the present Congress- liz
gave as his reason for this position
that men at present in public l,fe had
been repndiatcd ut the polls last No
vember.
The only proper and occom,ns
course which this Senate and this Cor
Ercss could pursue under the cjrc1,m
stances" he said, us to adjourn sine
die on the broad ground that thew M
longer have the normal or ethica1
right to exercise the Legislative powers
Of the people OF the United States...
II cannot understand" &c said, how