Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1915-01-30


in call of the bells for the first oppor-
tunity to take cote.
The slightest relaxation or a parlia-
mentary slip on the part of the Re.
puhlicans might give the Democrats
their eagerly hoped for opportunity of
dropping the gavel. They claim to
have the votes ready to pass the bill.
The Republicans says they intend, by
all means at their command, to pre-
vent that and the sharpest experts of
practice on both sides were ranged
In what was battle of endurance
and wits.
Senator Kern. the Democratic floor
leader, declared that the session would
be continued throughout the day and
that decision would be reached this
evening as TO holding another night
session.
Senator Sutherland contended that
so far. no fllibuster had been carried
on against the bill, but he added that.
IN his Judgment any parliamentary
power the Republicans might exert to
prevent its passage would be of inn
measurable value to the country.
Steam Roller Tactics
Shortly after noon Vice-President
Marshall got into the chair after SEN
ators Lodge, Borah and William Alden
Smith had appealed to him in confer
ence to preserve the integrity of the
Senate and rule against what the Re
publicans characterized as steam roll
Ter tactics The Vice President told
them he intended to he governed by
the Senate's established rules.
Secretary Tumulty after a brief rest
at the White House reappeared on the
floor to listen to Senator Sutherland.
The official stenographers began to
show the strain of the grind and the
relays were reduced to twenty minu-
tes.
Nothing remains for the Republi-
cans but to attempt to talk the bill to
death, either with the adjournment of
Congress on March next or with the
collapse of the Democratic determina-
ton to force it through. AS Senator
Smoot talked, Senators Lodge and
Smith, of Michigan, slept in the mi
nority cloak room, each armed with
masses of papers ready to come to his
relief.
Senator Ashurst. first on the roll call
OF the Senate and an important fig
ure in the parliamentary battle on that
account, spent the night asleep on Il
sofa in the Senate chamber. Should
the Republicans falter in their cam
paign of words, should they lose the
floor long enough for the clerk to call
Senator Ashursts name and for him
to answer, another round in the battle
would have been won for the majority
and he did not propose to leave that
possibility unguarded. With a roll
call once started it must be finished
by rule of the Senate, a rule enforced
during years of Republican rule to
terminate Democratic filibusters.
One Democrat on Floor
Occasionally as Senator Smoot talk
ed in low tone for the most part
in order to save his strength and voice,
Democratic senator's interrupted to
plague him with questions. For hours,
however. they sat in silence while he
addressed himself to every possibility
of the shipping bill, to the criticism of
every action of the Democratic admin
istration and to the discussion of sub
jects that seemed far removed from
the bill itself.
Once all Democrats except Senator
Simmons had left the chamber He
hastened to the door of the majority
cloak room and his words were audi
bic in the almost empty galleries.:
Somebody had better stay out
here" he warned his colleagues, I'm
the only Democrat on the floor"
a party of Democrats fastened to
their seats.
Breakfast of Milk
Between sentences Senator Smoot
took Il breakfast of milk brought by
colleagues from the Senate cafe, and
said he was not yet tired of speak
ing.
In the Vice Presidents chair sat
Senator Hollis watching for the oppor-
tunity to drop the gavel and order
the hard fought for roll call. but down
in the seats of the chambers new Re-
publican sentinels began arriving fresh
and keen from night of sleep, their
drooping-eyed colleagues began re-
tiring. the evening dress suits began
to disappear and at the same time
fresh forces of Democrats came on to
replace those who had kept the battle
going through the night.
Thus the contest became again one
between men fresh in mind and body.
Senators Lafollette who holds q long
distance talking record of IS hours and
20 minutes, was an early arrival. Sen
ator Oliver, acting as the Republican
whip, declared he had two weeks con-
tinuous talking material within call.