The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-01-11
Republicans In Lower House Spring Surprise In First
 and Only Ballot
SENATE DECLINES 10
 ACT 0N THE QUESTION
OeguInr Democrats Are Undisturbed By the Preliminary Vote and Will Wait for Developments Be-
 fore Acting Decisively

Nashville, January 1o.-(Special)-- The second day of the reorganized Tennessee legislature was featured by the introduction or attempted intro duction of the United States senatorial fight.
 This battle was booked by constitu- tional requirements for the second 5day following organization, which 5 { ilarly would have been today. 7 The lower house launched into ac- tion on the question over the protest of the "regulars," who moved for ad 5ournment. three names being present. cd and one ballot being taken. with tho republicans showing the greatest strength in the opening skirmish
 Newell Sanders, state republican com mittee chairman, showed 21 votes; c. T. Fftxhugh. Independent" IT, and present encumbent, James B. Frazier, not allied with any one faction, 15. These being formally nominated but one ballot was taken and the result Is thought to have little significance as to the final outcome.
 Surprise By Republicans
 The repuDllcdnb were .tHOuSHl to pc ready to serve in the capacity of bal ance of power" element and their ag gressively entering on a straight basis served to offer something of a sur prise.
 The regulars voted promfscuously and generally for members of the house. Representative Puryear getting IT without being nominated.
 The chief surprise was that the name of former Gov. Benton McMillin, the regular" senatorial nominee. was not presented. This veg ceRssTueu. isy many, however, as some sort of a strategic move, the import of which is not ap parent on the surface.
 The failure of any of the three ele- ments to caucus would appear to in dicate that factional lines will be com pletely obliterated with the possibil- ity for surprises hourly increasing and an open and free-for-all fight eventu- ating.
 The republicans and the Independents tried to get together in this way but could not put over the effort.
 Regulars Not Alarmed
 The ''regulars' appear unperturbed over not having a man in the game at the kickoff, while the lower house was in the throes of attempting to tackle the sena- torial proposition, the senate absolutely declined to take a hand in the game. hay ing said the horse was black. 1t would have been nothing short of stultificaton to reverse or compromise. hence having refused all during last week to acknowl- edge the organization of the lower house while the striking regular democrats were on the "outside looking in" This contention was adhered to, and the sem ate at least will not take up the sena- torial problem until next Tuesday, which they construe to be "the second Tues day after organization" -
 It is not known what turn the matter may take in the house during the in term. but there will in all likelihood be nothing doing in the senate until the ''second Tuesday," according to their con- struction.
 Several measures were introduced in both houses today, the chief one being . house bill seeking to increase the Con- federate pension appropriation S170,OOO over the present allotment of $520OOO. IN The senate had a brief but brisk ses- sion, no less than 20 new bills, largely local being introduced In the upper house.
 E0ttefoO0o message
 Governor Patterson today sent In a special good roads message to the general assembly. to which he included the re- port of the state road commission. The report makes several recommendations and takes a strong stand for better roads In the state.
 Besides the votes for the announced candidates there were several scatter, ing ones. The vots for Sanders was pure- ly complimentary. yThe vote this morning has not cleared thu atmosphere, and no member of the legislature nor any candi- date gives clear flea of the situation or what the outcome may be. One thing sure, there will be nk caucus of either the republicans, independents or regulars. The reason for this Is that no faction or party in the legislature can hold its lines unbroken No faction can agree on a candidate. No trade or Consolidation as yet can be made satisfactory to the traders.
 The latest name mentioned in connec- tion with the senatorship is that of Nat Baxter, Jr., speaker of the senate. It Is contended by his friends that he Is the only man upon whom all factions of the democratic party can get tog,ther, and further that he is not particulaylv 0hjec-