Evening journal., 1915-01-06


having their own president pro tenn, +
clerks and other officers. and with
the eight members of the Democratic /
minority-one less than constitu-
tional Quorum-presided over by
Lieutenant Governor Colon Ferguson
and pretending to be the State Sen
ate. and with both meeting at the
same time within the Senate cham
Der. Delaware never has witnessed
such incidents as those that featured
the first day of the now Legislature
yesterday Il was an outcome of the
arbitrary procedure of the Democra-
tic minority. aided by the rulings
of Lieutenant Governor Ferguson and
his refusal to entertain appeals from
his rulings when made by the Re
publican Senators.
Finally, when II. ID. Boyer, who
had been made acting clerk Of the
Senate by the four Democratic hold
ing over Senators, but was not sworn
in as clerk during yesterdays delib-
erations, failed to call the name of
Senator Frazier to vote on a resolu
tien, even though Mr.. Frazier had
been sworn in as a Senator without
question. the Republican Senators
asserted their authority. They ap-
pealed from the decision OF Lieuten-
ant Governor Ferguson that Mr.. Fra
zier had no right TO vote and from
the floor declared Mr. Ferguson's
ruling not sustained, then elected
! Senator John NJ. Walker to serve as
president pro TEN. and proceeded to
/ conduct the affairs of the Senate.
/ The Democrats did not recognize
this action by the Republicans. re-
fused to participate in the delibera-
tions Of the Republican majority, and
conducted or pretended to conduct a
Senate of their own. even though
! they lack one vote less than ma
iority of the members of the Senate
or a constitutional quorum. The Re
publican majority elected officers for
the Senate from president pro TEN
down, as chosen in caucus previous
". and will bring the situation to its
climax today. Il is expected, by IN
forming the House, which also is now
organized. and Governor Miller that
the Senate IS ready to proceed to
business. Should the Governor re-
cognize the Senate as organized by
the Republicans. II would be a crush
ing blow TO the Democratic schemers
and manipulators who have forced
the remarkable situation In the Sen
ate
Many unusual scenes featured the
session brought about by the eager.
ness of the Democratic minority tc
overthrow the will of the people as
expressed at the last election.
There was Lieutenant Governor
! IN
cratic pretended Senate. while stand
ing beside him was President pre-
tenn Walker presiding over the Re
publican majority, notwithstanding
the protest of the lieutenant governor
against Mr.. Walker presiding.
There was the singular picture o.
the Democratic minority. aided b,
weird rulings of the Democratic lieu
tenant governors trying to ride rough
shod over the Republican majorit!
of nine members. not only TO proven
organization of the Senate but als'
If possible TO try 10 take that contro
away from the. Republicans and j
possible convert the Senate into {
! Democratic body.
: When the Democrats insisted that tn
ballot boxes be brought in before th
members Of the Senate had beer
5 sworn in. Lieutenant-Governo Fer
I guson named Senator Wharton as on
of a committee to go after them
! A few minutes before Mr.. Ferguson
= had refused to recognize Senator Hof
, fecker on the ground he was a new
> member not sworn in. Mr. HOffecker
Z when Senator Warton was designated
Immediately demanded to know hoV
, the Lieutenant-Gov could recog
, nize Mr. Wharton, a new member, af
! ter he had refused to recognize MI
Hoffecker.
The Leutenant-Governor thel
named Senator Carter as a member o
the committee.
There was the episode OF a Demo
cratic Sheriff. Thomas A. Kirby, ant
his deputies carrying into the Senat
chambers in response to a call from
the Democratic minority, the foul
ballot boxes of the four election dis
tricts comprising the Fifth Sena
torial district from which Mr.. Fra
zier was elected. These ballot boxe
= had been in the custody Of a Demo
e cratic sheriff since a day or tw'
Is after election day. II is claimed the.
= ]
r ing, unguarded. at times. with man.
opportunities for designing person
to get at the boxes and tamper will
. the ballots in them.
Although several times on tn
verge OF opening the ballot boxes
the Democratic minority paused II
their remarkable exhibition Of poll
tical team work yesterday afternoon
and failed TO open the boxes. The,
were at the point whore they coull
have done so, the Republicans en-
tirely ignoring the Democratic min
ority's deliberations. But for som
reason the Democratic minority too
a recess until ten o'clock this morn
ing. leaving the ballot boxes in III
possession Of Sheriff Kirby owe
night. Sheriff Kirby assumed ofic
yesterday morning. he being one {
the newly-elected officials.
The whole energies of the Demo
cratic minority we're bent yesterda
, on trying TO get a count Of the ba
lots cast i'm the Fifth district. WalC
man alleges that the ballots wei
improperly counted in the differeI
election districts of the Senator's
: district. and that an accurate couI
would give him substantial mi
jirity instead of giving Frazier fol
majority II was pointed out hel
yesterday that the Democrats col
trolled the election boards in thrI
L Of the four election districts Of q
a. Fifth Senatorial district. yet the r
turns as counted by these Democri