Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1913-08-08
SENATOR'S DEATH
lessons CHANCE
OF TARIFF BILL
Party Leaders, However, Insist
Administration Measure
Will Go Through.

WASHINGTON, Aug. S.-The death
bama. weakens the Democratic ma
jority on the administration tariff
bill in the Senate, though party lead
ers insist that there still will be nc
serious difficulty In passing the meas
ure.
In the Democratic Senate caucus II
WIS announced that forty nine sena-
tors had declared they would support
the bill ON its final passage At that
time Senators Ransdell and Thornton
of Louisiana, were the only ones to
declare they would vote against the
bill because of the sugar schedule
On the basis of the caucus align
ment Democratic leaders figured that
the vote on the tariff bill, without
reflections from either side would be
40 to AZ for its passage.
The death of Senator Johnston
leaves the calculation 4s to At.
Counting on Vice president.
In the event that any Western sena-
tor, who does not strongly favor free
sugar, might possibly vote against
the bill. the Democrats had been
counting on the Vice-President to
carry the day in the event of a tie.
Senator Johnston's death, provid-
ed his seat is not filled before the
vote on the tariff bill. removes the
Vice-President from the range of pos
sibilities on any strict alignment.
Should one vote be lost to the Demo-
Gratis on the basis of present fore
casts, and no member of the minority
come to their aid, the vote would
stand As to AZ against the bill There
still is the possibility that at least
one member of the minority may
vote for the Democratic bill
Danger of the Democrats losing
their majority may be obviated by
the Legislature of Alabama, under the
seventeenth amendment to the Con-
stitution. providing quickly for the
filling of the vacancy caused by SEN
ator Johnston's death.
Special Session May Be Necessary.
As in most of the other States. the
Alabama Legislature has not been in
session since the Constitutional
amendment was adopted this spring.
and consequently has not empowered
the governor of Alabama to fill any
vacancies by appointment until an
election may be held. Furthermore,
the Alabama Legislature does not
meet until 1915.
Democratic leaders in Washington,
1t was said today, would urge upon
the governor of Alabama the desira-
bility of his calling the Legislature in
to special session to give him author
ity of appointment, or to provide for
an immediate election.
frfI
Johnston's memory through resolu-
tions. and an immediate adjournment
of todays session.
Marshall Appoints Committee.
Vice-President Marshall appoint I'd
the following committee to represent
the Senate at the funeral in Birming-
ham: Senator'S Bankhead. Bacon
Overman, Chamberlain, Hitchcock,
Clarke, yardaman, Johnson, Swan
son. Smith. of South Carolina; Thorn
ton. Gallinger. Warren, Bristow,
Catron. Brady and Kenyon.
Senator Joseph F. Johnston, of
Birmingham, Ala. died at his apart
ment here this morning shortly before
8 o'clock.
Senator Johnston had been in poor
health and had not attended sessions
of the Senate for a week. He had
been confined to his apartment most
of the time, but his trouble was not
diagnosed as pneumonia until a few
days ago.
Senator Johnston was 70 years old,
had served through the war between
the States in the Confederate Army.
was governor of Alabama for two
terms and had been a member of
tho Senate since 1907