Tulsa daily world. [volume] (Tulsa, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1905-1919, 1915-01-31
SENATORS IN FUSS
THROUGHOUT NIGHT
Attempt to Crush Republi-
can Opposition Made
BY Democrats.
MINORITY HAS FLOOR
Propose to Remain in Ses-
sion Until a Vote Is
Reached.

w mined to crush Republican
opposition and end the long fight over
the government ship purchase bill,
the Democrats held the senate in ses-
sion past midnight tonight with the
ayowed purpose OF forcing a final vote
before recess or adjournment.
How long the minority would be
able TO hold off the vote no one would
predict. but even the most optimistic
Democrats admitted that the contin-
uOus session might last until tomor-
row Others thought 1t more likely
to continue two or three days. Senator
SmOOt was speaking at midnight and
had iutimated that he would hold the
floor as long as his strength would
permit.
The Democrats. by a series Of par
lamentary maneuyers, had succeeded,
over vigorous Republican opposition,
in putting the ship hill squarely be-
fore the senate on q motion of Sen
dtor Fletcher to put the Democratic
caucus substitute for the original bill
upon its passage,
There was an immediate demand for
the Call of absentees and Senator
SmCot began speaking while deputies
and sergeant-at arms We're securing
the city for members.
Calls for Amendments.
I'VE have the bin before the sem
ate" said Senator Kern later, and
we propose to continue i'm session until
il reaches vote. OF course | will
not say that something might not
hal pen to bring about another recess,
but / doubt it. There may be some
amendments to be offered. / have
just heard that Senator La Toilette
wishes to offer an amendment with
relation to the permanency of the
proposed govern uent shipping enter
prise II may be that some Of these
amendments will be accepted, but it is
our purpose to insist upon the con-
tinuouS session until this bill is
passed
Senator La Toilette said he expected
the bill would be passed.
4 motion to table the substitute by
Senator Smoot was defeated 40 to IA,
and in quick succession four amend
ments offered by Senator Gallinger,
were laid on the table
These included Senator Gallinger's
substitute proposal for an ocean mail
subsidiary plan, "A proposal that each
ship purchased be equipped to carry
at least four siX-inch rifles for naval
auxiliary service, a provision requiring
that all officers and one-half the crew
of each ship be Americans and the
proposal that each ship carry an
American apprentice boy for each one
thousand tons register
The maneuvering Of the evening left
the bill at midnight in such a position
that a vote upon the substitute might
come at any moment If the opposition
% 1 4 nd
Smith Of Michigan, appeared at a late
hour laden with many papers and ap-
parcntly ready to relieve Senator
Smoot and continue the battle Of
words throughout the night If neces-
Sary.
Forcing Bill Over.
As a servant of the American peo-
pie | feel it my duty" declared Mr..
Smoot, "to do everything in my power
TO defeat this bill. II is undemocratic
and unrepublican 1t is vicious In its
provisions, and will prove dangerous
II enacted into law
The people have spoken, at the
last election" he added, and the rea-
son the bill is being forced nowis be-
cause every Democratic senator knows
It could not pass the next congress"
Senator James interrupted to say
that charges OF steamroller tactics
came with i'll grace from member of
the party which had employed a
steamroller at Chicago to defeat Theo-
dore Roosevelt for the Republican
presidential nomination.
At ! o'clock Senator Smoot had
been talking three hours and a half
and showed no signs of concluding.
Half a dozen senators were on the
floor, some of them doing in their
chairs, and the couches in the cloak
rooms each had its occupant.
Senator Fletcher, in charge of the
bill was stretched out at his desk and
had slept peacefully during quite a
portion of Senator Smoots remarks
Senator Williams of Mississippi, who
had been busy figuring at his desk,
interrupted Senator Smoot to ask:
HAS the senator calculated the
amount OF money his speech is costing
the American people?"
Senator Williams then stated that
the speeches made by the Republican
senator's during their fight against the
shipping bill had cost over 100000
in printing bills and stenographers'
fees. Senator Burtons speech, which
lasted more than thirteen hours, had
cost $3.50, 900, he said; that Of SEN
ator Lodge $150,000; that of Senator
Gallinger 5000, 900 and that Of Senator
Smoot, up to / o'clock, SAL 800.
Its lucky thing" suggested Sen
ator Clapp, that no personal liabil-
ity attaches to senators for their re-
marks"