Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-03-27
BATTLE ON|N SENATE
Opponents of Senator Ste
phenson Making Hard Fight.
SEAT STILL IN DANGER
Eight Senators Did Not Vote on
Custer Resolution. =
FOES ARE REINFORCED
La Toilette and Jones Expected to
Be. Present When Final Bal
lot Is Taken.
SEAT STILL IN DANGER
REINFORCED

A battle royal is on in the Senate this
afternoon over the validity of Senator
Stephenson's title to his seat i'm the upper
house of Congress.
1t was thought last night that the test
vote of yesterday afternoon indicated
that Senator Stephenson's seat was safe.
But there were eight senators who
did not vote and who were not paired
and. as Senator Stephenson had a ma
jority of only two on the test vote, it
is realized that he is not yet out of
deep water. The closeness of the vote
frightened the Stephenson forces.
The opponents are fighting hard to-
day Senator Cummins, republican.
fred the opening gun today against
the right of Mr.. Stephenson to hold his
seat, and a whole battery will be work.
ed against the Stephenson defense be-
fore the final vote is taken.
The anti-Stephenson forces are hopeful.
especially pointing out that six of the
eight senators whose position was not
recorded yesterday are democrats and
Senator Stephenson is republican. and
that the two republicans are well known
as anti-Stephenson men.
La Toilette to Be Present.
Senator La Toilette. one of the alb
Senate chamber when the final vote is
taken. Senator Jones returned today
from attending the funeral of Represent
ative Foster of Vermont, and will be in
his scat to vote Thus is the anti-Ste-
phenSon vote increased by twO-enOugh
to tie the vote if none of the other alb
SenteeS of yesterday ares in their seats
today. On tie vote the motion to
adopt the committee report in favor of
Senator Stephenson would be lost.
The friends of Senator Stephenson pre-
dict victory for him by about five votes
smaller than they have been claiming
until the test of strength yesterday aft
ernoOn.
The Senate resumed the consideration
of the Stephenson case as soon as 1t met
today at II o'clock; and Senator Pom
creme led off with a speech defending Mr.
right to his seat but con-
demning the methods by which his cleo
attacking the validity of Stephenson
election. Half a dozen more speeches are
scheduled before a vote is taken.
Senator Pomerene of Ohio spoke in re-
ply to arguments by Senators Bristow
and Kenyon in favor of unseating the
Wisconsin senator.
The Ohio senator called upon the sena-
tors to consider the case as judges and
to be guided by no 'judge-made law
Later, if demoraliZing acts had been I'M
to legislate against them. Extravagant
use of money had occurred in the Wis
consin primary, he conceded. but he de-
clared that the responsibility for TINS
rested with Congress and the general as
sembly of Wisconsin for failing to enact
laws to condemn it.
Senator Pomerene took issue with SEN
ator BriStOws statement that 1t was a
corrupt practice to employ newspaper
support either by way of editorial or adj
THAT it should be regu-
lated by law, / concede," added the Ohio
senator.
Attacks Primaries.
Senator Hepburn put primaries and
prize fights in the same class during a
colloquy with Senator Cummins- Senator
Cummins was condemning the position
that no matter how much corruption
there was in senatorial primaries, pure
election by legislature gave senator
valid title to his seat.
Il am frank to say, Senator Hepburn
remarked. that i regard regulations for
primary elections just the same as regu-
lations for prize fights" Mr.. Hepburn
added that he did not think primaries
were in keeping with the spirit of Amer
lean institutions.
That led Senator Cummins to a vigor-
Gus defense of primaries as the best
form Of popular government.
An unexpectedly early test OF the
strength of the pro-Stephenson and anti
Stephenson forces came yesterday after
noon 1t showed the pro-Stephenson
forces were in the majority by two votes.
BY a vote of % to - the Senate rejected
Senator Jones resolution declaring that
Senator Stephenson was not duly and
legally elected senator of the United
States.