The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson, S.C.) 1914-1917, 1915-02-02
ATTEMPT TO RECOMMIT
GOVERNMENT SHIP PUR-
CHASE BILL
SENATOR CLARKE
SPRUNG SURPRISE
Revolt Turns Administration Ad-
vantage Into Defensive That
Appears Almost Hopeless.

(By Associated Prcss.)
! WASHINGTON. Feb Mime Demo-
Gratis in the senate today Joined all
alliance with the Republicans in an
unexpected attempt to recommt the
government ship purchase bill.
| The sudden revolt turned in a
twinkling an administration adyan-
tage into an defensive. which tonight
/ appeared almost hopeless to many
Democratic leaders.
Forced to fight for the very life of
the proposed measure. the Demo-
Gratis succeeded In adjourning the
senate with the motion pending to
send the bill back to committee. A
party caucus Immediately was called
Tor tomorrow morning.
Senator Clarke. of Arkansas,
sprang the surprise when he rose
while Senator William Alden Smith,
OF Michigan, was concluding q long
speech against the bill and asked l:im
to yield for motion. The senator
yielded and Senator Clarke, introduce
ing his remarks with an appeal for
consideration Of other legislation,
moved to send back the ship bill.
The legislative pandemonium that
followed had not been witnessed in
the senate In many years Senators
poured from the cloak rooms to the
chamber. The rush from the Republic
can cloak room was even moro i'm
mediate, as they had been forewarn-
ed af
AS soon as administration leaders
could catch their breath, Senator
Fletcher. in charge of the bill, made a
point OF order against the motion
which Vice President Marshall sus-
tanned. Senator Clarke appealed and
the chair was .overr,ned and EeuStur
| Clarka.s appeal sustained,S 40 to,s47.
Nine Democrats voted with tfrss Fte-.
lIiublicans. The motion to recomn1it
was pending when the senate adjourn
ed until noon tomorrow.
Nine Vote Against Ruling.
The nine Democrats who voted
against the ruling Of the chair were
Bankhead. of Alabama; Camden,
Kentucky: Clarke. Arkansas; Hard
wick. Georgia; Bryan. Florida: Hitch
cock. Nebraska: O'Gorman, New
York; Smith, Georgia. and Vardaman,
Mississippi. AS soon as the record of
this vote had been cleared, Senator
Stone was recognized. The chamber
was In confusion as the Missourian,
who has stood by the bill through
the bitter struggle Of the last two
weeks. surveyed tho assembluge for a
moment. With gesture toward his
own side of the aisle, Senator Stone
declared:
Defeat Motion to Adjourn.
"In order that Democrats may
have conference and that the Re-
publtcans and their allies may hold
q conference, move that the senate
do now adjourn" :
The motion was Immediately put
and there was loud chorus Of "noes."
On roll call the motion to adjourn
was lost BY q vote OF 40 to 36. Sena-
tor Stone then moved that Senator
Clarke's motion to recommit be laid
on the table and this, too. was lost
by vote Of A to az. seven Democrats
voting with the Republicans and
Senator LafoIlette aligning himself
with the Democratic minority.
Democrats who opposed the motion
to table were Bankhead, Camden,
Clarke. Hcrdr-ic', Hit -hcock. O'Gor-
man and Vardaman. These seven, 1t
subsequently developed. had con-
ferred early in the day and determin-
ed to break the deadlock with a view
either to material revision Of the
measure or entirely sidetracS,ng II. at
least insofar as the present session is
concerned.
This brought the motion to re-
commit 'squarely before tie senate.
when Senator Reed. Of Missouri, was
recognized nnI began arraigning his
colleagues. who had revOlted. and Re-
puhlicans who had opposed the bill as
SUI t,orters of the shipping trust which
had sourht to plunder the shippers
of H1:orica. For nearly an hour
Senatos Reed. who persistently
throughout the administration had
been opposed to its purposes. de-
Tended the bill.
II congratulate the hoary old ship
trust monopoly" he said. ION the fact
tnat 1t appears still to possess In this
day and age enough vigor to invade
the Democratic sido Of the chamber
and find votes in It's SUPPORT"
Seek Conferences With Progressives.
While Senator Reed was speaking
Republican senators exulted while
Democratic leaders rushed hurriedly
In and out OF committee room con-
ferences to determine on course of
action. They counted noses. figuring
on absentees and could not see away
M VNao m a tyxNf