The Mathews journal. (Mathews C.H. [Court House]) 1903-1937, 1912-03-07

BY a margin of one vote the Sen
ate today twice refused to take up
the enabling act and TO take a vote
on the proposition today. The alb
sence of Senator Moncure. of Stat
ford. was responsible for the first fail
ure to take up the bill. he being tenn
porarily out Of the chamber when the
vote was taken. Senator Rinehart, of
Allegheny. was absent on the second
roll call.
It was on Senator Lesner's motion
that the bill was sought to be taken
up out Of its order. and as il in
volved a suspension of the rules il
was necessary to have a two-third' s
vote.
Senator Walker led the opposition.
and succeeded in defeating. on points
of order. several attempts 10 get the
bill to the Senate floor.
The Senate was buzzing with ex-
element from the moment the body
was called to order. the galleries be-
ing filled with men and women.
Senator LeSner and others were
fitting about the chamber doing their
best to get the members in line. How
nearly he succeeded is seen by the
closeness Of the vote. But for the
absence Of one senator the bill would
have been taken up. The vote was
as follows:
Yeas-Messrs. Bowers Brock, Crock
EFT, Cummings. Drewry, Early. Echols.
II
Hartman. Hart. Hobbs, Holt Lesner,
Massie, Montague, Parr, Paul, Rine-
hart, Rison. Sowder, Thornton. Wat
kins, Wendenburg-26.
Nays-Messrs. Blanks, Catron. Fea-
therston. Gayle, Gravatt. Mapp.
Royal, Saunders, Smith, Tavenner,
Tucker. Walker. VESTS.
Fight Is Renewed.
At 1 o'clock, when Senator Mon
cure appeared, Senator Lesner renew
ed his motion. first obtaining the con-
sent of the Senate to postpone the
appropriation bill for a few moments.
There was running debate for
half an hour. Senator Mapp. one of
the patrons of the Senate enabling
act. declared that there was unseem-
ly haste on the part of the opponents
of the measure without giving the
patrons chance to say even a word
in debate.
Senator Lesner. in reply. said he
was not aware that any special steps
had been taken by the advocates of
the measure to facilitate a vote on
the bill. He also declared that he
wanted to get a vote on the measure
and to kill it, right on the floor in
order that the members might have
a chance to go on with other bust
ness and to be saved from what he
characterized as nagging ever since
the session began.
The vote to pass by the special or
der was recorded. BY a single vote
It was again rejected. Senator Rine-
hart. of Allegheny, who, 1t is believed.
will vote for the bill. being absent.
he had previously voted to take the
bill up out of its order.
Can't Get Together.
Senator Walker and Senator Lesner
had talk following the vote. Sena-
tor Walker was willing TO have a vote
taken on Monday, but Senator Lesner
was insistent and would agree to
nothing save the taking of a vote
forthwith.
In the confusion of voices some one
said that unless the advocates of the
bill agreed to the will of the oppo-
nents there will be no vote on the
question this session"
well. If you have the vote" was
returned. you can prevent the taking
of a vote"
The declaration was made today
that the opponents of the bill would
never be able to muster enough votes
TO take the bill up out of it's order,
though 1t is conceded quite generally
that the bill itself will be beaten in
the Senate.