The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1911-02-08
SENATE VOTES SUBSIDY.
FOR FIRST TIME IN HISTORY
VICE PRESIDENT BREAKS TIE
IN SENATE.
Once in Committee OF Whole, Once
Am senate for Bill aud Once for Adj
journment.-New Senator's Alb
sencc Fatal.

States exercised his constitutional pre-
rogativs of casting a vote to break
ties In connection with three success
sivo roll calls in the senate. BY the
first ot thess votes he saved from
impeV ing defeat the ocean mail, or
ship subsidy bill. and by the third
forced an adjournment OF the senate
on n vote having direct bearing on
the resolution looking to the election
OF senators by direct vote OF the peo-
pie.
The vote on the passage OF the
ship subsidy bill. both in committee
OF the whole and In the senate proper,
stood 80 ayes and 80 noes. and on ad-
journment 81 ayes to 81 noes.
On all three occasions the vice
president voted In the affirmative.
Another notable occurrence In con-
nection with the vote on the ship sub
sidy bill was the absence OF the new
Democratic senator from West vir.
ginia. Clarence w. Watson. who had
taken his seat earlier In the day as the
successor to Senator Elkins. Mr..
Watson was In the senate chamber
for only few moments during the
session and voted on only one roll
call. This vote was cast OH an
amendment by Mr.. Shiveiy OF In
diana, regulating the aggregate ex-
penditures which may be made under
terms Of the bill.
On this provision the new West vir-
ginia senator cast his vote in the
Affirmative, thus indicating his op-
position To the measure.
The result on this roll call was not
so close as 10 render material the
presence OF absence OF any senator,
and no notice was taken OF the fact
that Mr. Watson was not In attend
ance.
After the ftnal result became known
the opponents OF the biil-all the
Democrats-reali4sd that Mr.. Wat
sons absence had prevented the de-
feat OF the bill He was the only
Democrat present during any Of the
roll calls whose vote was not cast
agsi-s. NE measure.
The nnal vote on the bill came af-
ter ihreo hours of determined con-
fiict over amendments Apparently
there was no general appreciation 0t
the SHARP division whicn aIterward
developed and as a body the senate
was unprepared for the tie vote. The
80 senator's who voted for the meas
ure were all Republicans. Those
voting against the bill were made up
Of a combination OF insurgent Re-
publicans and Democrats.
When In accordance with the pre-
vious agreement the subsidy bill was
laid before the senate at o'clock.
Senator Gallinger presented a substi-
tute Cor the entire measure as orig
inally introduced. The first bin
granted "a bounty only to American
built vessels. plying from American
ports 30 the southern half Of South
America. but the substitute extended
IL to the Philippines, Japan, China
and Australia.
Senator Simmons was the first
speaker To raise his voice In opposi-
tion. lie delivered a set speech dl-
rected against subsidies in general
and ship subsidies in particular.
Before the final ballot on the bill
itself was reached there were two mild
sensations. One OF these was caused
by Senator owen of Oklahoma and
the other OF Senator Gallinger, au-
thor Of the bill.
Asserting that the unanimous con-
sent agreement under which the SEN
ate was proceeding had been obtained
when only l5 or 16 senator's were
present. and therefore IL should not
be recognized. the Oklahoma senator
passcI speedily To general declara-
tion against the conduct OF any busl
ness by the present congress. lie
gave as his reason for this position
that men at present In public life
had been repudiated at the polls last
November.
''Thc only proper and becoming
course which this senate and this
cOngress could p'.isue under the cir
cumstanccs," n" said. is To adjourn
sine die ON tic broad ground that
they no longer have the moral or
ethical right 20 exercise the lcgisla-
tive powers Of the people OF the
United States.
II can not see" no said. how any
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