El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1911-01-28
| EGISL ALIVE
D|SCORD
CROWS
Pros Block the Governors
Wishes and Are Blocked
In Turn.
REPUBLICAN VOTE
TO DECIDE ISSUE

Austin, Texas, Jan. 2S.-It is stated
by the state prohibition leaders that
the advantage which that faction of
the Democratic party has. by its ma
jority in both the senate and house.
will be used to promote the crusade
against the saloon and liquor business
in every possibleN legitimate way. The
situation in the senate is the most re-
markable ever known in the history Of
that body The pros have Il votes out
Of a total of 81. and while the neces-
sary two-thirds is lacking to pass
measure over the governors veto, their
majority places them in control Of leg
lslation, and none Of the administration
measures can get through except by
their consent and support At this time
the pros show no disposition to accept
any compromise -overtures that may
be offered them by the ants The fact
that Gov. o. B. Colquitt is a pronounced
anti makes the political feeling against
him on the part Of the pros very bit
ter Very few of his opponents in the
legislature are in sympathy with his
policy of political peace and Iegisla-
tive rest" and instead of that slogan
being the guiding text of the pro ma
jority in the senate and house. It pom
ises to be heartlessly violated all
through the strenuous session of the
lawmaking body.
While Mr. Colquitt made it blain in
his first message to the legislature that
he is not in favor Of any new general
laws Of Importance being enacted, ne
has certain administration reforms
that he is very DESTROYS Of putting into
effect and without the assistance of
the pros he cannot bring these about.
On the other hand, the pros are insist
ing on the passage of several radical
anti-saloon bills, which are known to
be obnoxious to Gov. C9lquitt. snd
the latter with his power Of 7eto IS IN
position TO nullify all legislation Of
this sort.
Say They Have Upper Hand.
It Is claimed by the pros that they
have the whip handle and that unless
the governor meets them half way in
their proposed legislation he will find
his administration greatly embaI-
raised. not only in the matter of ap-
concentrations, but in the fulfillment of
certain administration pledges and
policies that he has been advocating
At this time there is no compromise of
the conflicting interests in sight All
indications point to a continuation Of
the spirited fight in the legislature
that has been on since the very begin
ming Of the session Its present in
tensity is such, particularly in the SEN
ate. that there is little hope Of any i.n-
portant measure Of either faction get
ting through where objection is Of
fered.
Davidson An Anti.
Lieutenant governor A B. Davidson.
who is now entering upon his third
term in that office, is a radical anti,
and, in the early days of the present
he So1a+a he ruled with 2
high hand over the majority, being
able to do so by the set Of rules
which were temporarily in effect. For
q time the pros were dazed by the way
the steam roller was run over them.
but awoke to a realization of the
fact that their majority Of numbers
gave them the power to take the reig"S
of government of that body in their
own hands It was then that they
set their own steam roller in motion
with the result that the most remarKa-
bic set of rules that was probably ever
adopted by any parliamentary body in
this country was put into effect.
These new rules which were adopted
by a, straight fractional vote and over
the vehement protest Of the anti SEN
ators, take much Of the power of con-
trolling the deliberations Of the senate
out of the hands Of the presiding Off
Ger. Under the temporary rules the
presiding officer of the senate made a
practice of ignoring entirely all pro-
senators when they wanted recognition
for the purpose of introducing anti-sa-
loon measures. The new rules provide
that when the presiding officer fails or
refuses TO recognize a senator it shall
be the duty Of the sergeant at arms
and his force of assistants, if neces-
sary, to remove him from the chair,
using whatever force that may be re-
quired for the purpose.
The power of appointing the COM
mittees was taken from the lieutenant
governor and vested in the majority of
the senate. At the time this rule was
adopted the committees had already
been appointed, and, IT is claimed by
the pros, that the ants had all the
best of 1t in the matter of holding
the more important places of chair
men and memberships. The former
committees are still operative, but they
may be discarded and revised to suit
the pros, and in this important re-
spect they may be placed in position
CONTINUED on Page Nine.)