Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1913-11-13
SEATING Of senator
AFFECTS CURRENCY
WHAT Tc DO WITH BLAIR LEE
HAS IMPORTANT BEARING
ON LEGISLATION.
DEMOCRATS NEED HIS VOTE,
DEMOCRAT CAN NOT GET SEAT
Doubtful if Wilson Administration Will
Be Able to Control Course Of lesis.
iation in Upper House - End Of
Struggle Can Not Be Fore
seen.
Especial Correspondence

washington, Nov. 12-Wtth the cur
rency situation in the senate rapidly
shaping into partisan fight, with the
president and administration senators
demanding passage of the house bill
and republican and insurgent demo-
Gratis holding out for important
changes in 1t, the question OF seating
Blair Lee as Senator from Maryland
becomes of the utmost Importance.
Because Of the fact Lee is not seated
and Senator Jackson, republican, is one
of the two senators from Maryland
and because of the further fact there is
a vacancy from Alabama caused by the
death Of Joseph Forney Johnston and
failure to seat Congressman Clayton,
who was appointed by the governor,
1t Is doubtful whether the administra-
ton can control thee course of cur
rency legislation in the upper house.
Solid Vote Necessary.
The senate, with one vacancy from
Alabama. has ninsty-five members.
fifty democrats and forty five repub-
licans and progressive party men.
Forty eight is majority. If three
democrats refuse to line up at the
crack OF the administration whip,
the president can not control the cur
rency bill 1t will be modified to meet
the demands Of republicans. especially
progressive republicans and Of demo-
! cratic insurgents.
In such a situation. IL become i'm
portant to the democratic organization
! In the senate, and to the White House.
| to have Blair Lee seated and to have
the Alabama vacancy filled. The sem
ate democrats had one opportunity to
! fill the Alabama vacancy but many OF
them he'd Clayton was not lawfully
senator and did not accept his creden-
tails. They may be given another
chance II Governor O'Neal carries out
Il his Intention to appoint somebody else
shortly.
Can Not Foresse End.
It il utterly uncertain when Lee Will
| be seated. 1t is clear he can not be
seated before the Maryland legislature
meets in January and perhaps not then.
| Indeed, the opinion Is growing that
Lee cannot be seated until the legis-
lature meets, authorizes q special
election and a new election is held.
That would compel Lee to wait until
March or April. Senator jackson has
no intention Of giving up his seat until
the legislature assemblies. 1t. In fact.
they do not insist on q new speclai
| election being called. All the While
Lee is out and Jackson in the demo-
cratic strength is reduced one and the
Republican strength increased one. with
the prospects for the administration
currency plan crippled accordingly.
Lee has been elected senator IN an
election called by the republican gov
ernor. Goldsborough. But Lee has not
got his credentials. He will have to
get them from q republican governor
and It is not Q certainty Goldsborough
j will issue them now. But even II he
does there will be so much opposition
to seating Lee on the part OF repub-
Ilican senators that It will require weeks
of debate before a vote can be had.
| Means Currency Delay.
| In the meantime, the democrats Will
be without Lees vote in the senate, the
republicans will have Jackson's vote
until the legislature meets, and. be-
cause the question of seating q sena-
tor or accepting his credentials Is one
OF the highest privilege. currency dis
cussion will be shunted to one SIDE ano
currency legislation delayed. II SEN
ate fight over seating Lee Is begun
The administration and the democratic
organization will have to take their
choice OF worrying along without Lees
vote or Of trying to force the seating
of Lee and thus delaying a currency
measure. obviously, 1t is an annoying
and embarrassing predicament. Demo-
cratic Governor O'Neal, of Alabama,
might help by calling the legislature in
special session and getting a special
senatorial election called there. But
he is at outs with the legislature and
does not want to convene 1t.