Evening journal., 1915-01-07
LIEUTENANT GOVERNORS
RULING JUSTIFIES COURSE
OF REPUBLICAN SENATORS
Mr.. Ferguson on tuesday Ruled That Senator Frazier
Could MOI Vote, Bui Recognized Frazier's Right 10
Vote Yesterday, When Republican Appeal Thai
Routed Democrats Was Sustained by Lieutenant
Governor
DEMOCRATS SAY THE CONTEST
HAS MOT BEEN fBAND OEED BY THEM


DOVER. Dcl January 2 While tho
Democratic minority in the Senate
yesterday afternoon had the ground
cu from under their alibustcr and
were routed ia their amazing attempt
Co grab control OF the State Senate,
the outcome was no more than was
expected By the Republican majority
who were proceeding under the firm
belief that theirs was the only logical
Senate, since they had constltu-
uonal majority OF nine members, all
certified by the court as elected and
ali sworn ln The position assumed
all along by the Republican Senators
was justified fully by the ruling OF
Lieutenant Governor COlen Ferguson
In sustaining am appeal from hi de-
cision taken by the nine Republicans,
which was equivalent to declaring do
ieated Senator Gormlcy's resolution
for opening the ballot boxes In the
Waldman Frazier contest However.
the Republicans were going ahead
anyway with The deliberations of the
Senate, regardless of the pretensions
OF the Democratic minority, who
lacked one vote OF the constitutional
quorum that caa transact business.
and who balkod In opening the ballot
boxes because they realized their
"rump' Senate did not contain
enough members to validate thoir
acts.
Licutenani-G Governor Ferguson In
sustaining the appeal of the Republi-
can majority not only astounded the
Democratic Senators and the lawyers
and politicians who were shaping and
directing the niibusior, but he also
reversed rulings he repeatedly made
on Tuesday which aroused the pro
tests of Republican Senators to such
am extent that they from the hoor'
ovcrrulod Mr.. Feiguson's decisions
elected Senator John M. Walker as
president pro tenn and then proceeded
to organize the Senate by electing Re
publican officers.
After Acting Clerk Boyer, who
had been installed in that position
by arbitrary action of the Demo
cratic holdoyer Senators and the
cntcnant-goycrnor' ruling, did not
call Senator Frazier's name TO vote
ON Senator Gormloy's resolution 10
omen the ballot boxes on Tuesday
MIR. Ferguson ruled that Senator
Frazier could not vote. Mr. Frazier
insisted that his vote be recorded
but Mr.. Ferguson declared against
him. Senator Barnard then. appeal
ed from the decision of the lieuten-
ant-governor. who declined TO re-
cognize or put the appeal TO vote
Senator Barnard, from the floor, then
put the question OF Cvcr-ruling the
decision of the lioutonant-govorno
and declared the appeal sustained
after the nine Republicans had so
voted. From that time on the Re-
publicans took the business OF the
Senate in their own hands. and or
ganizcd it with Senator Walker pre-
siding. tho Democrats not taking
part i'm the organization, they pre-
tending TO conduct twin Senate
session of their own. with the lieu
tcnant-goyernor as their presiding
officer.
Accepts Republican View.
When Senator GOrmley called for
! the "order of the day" 10 open the
ballot boxes, yesterday at noon, the
/ Republicans protested that the re-
! solution was not properly before the
! Senate, which was not organized
/ fully. Mir Ferguson ruled that the
/ resolution had been adopted. Sena-
] tor Anderson then appealed from
/ his ruling, the nine Republicans vot-
/ ing TO sustain the appeal Senator
! Frazier was one of the nine The
/ Acknowledgment ruled that the
appeal was sustained In doing so
/ he recognized Senator Fragicr's
| right to vote on all questions OK
! cepting those TO oust him, the lieu
/ governor explained aftorward.
/ When the lieutenant governor decided
that his decision had been ovcrruled. tho
/ Democrats realized the GROUND had been
cut from under their dlihustcr, and that
/ the contest had hccn sidctrackcd. Shor, D
/ iv aftcrWard senator Gormlcy Joined IN
/ the proceedings with the Republicans hy
asking that the proposed new rules hc
read and the lieutenant governor later
| in response to q motion appointed q
/ comnfHtee Go notify the House that the
Senate had been organized. thus ac-
knoWledging that the Republican organi-
zation ol the body was regular.
While the Republicans at times were
] very indignant at the attitude and rul.
ings of Mr.. Ferguson, several of the Re
publican senators said they feli sorry
that schcming politicians had placed the
aged lieutenant governor in such try
ing position. Some Republicans here felt
that Mr. Ferguson had heon misguided
on deluded by schcming Kent county
Democrats into joining IN the fhbustcr.
Mr.. Ferguson is not in the best on
health. Tie is more than 20 years of aac
and is held in high regard personally by
the senators, regardless of party. he
said hc was glad the Wlanglc was over
and that he had ruled in sustaining the
appeal the way De intended to rule. a.,
he had been advised 10y some lawyers
that Senator Frazier had % right to vot,
mp to % certain point, since he had beer
sworn in.
{ lioutenant-GoVernor Ferguson left he
fore the afternoon session was finished
He called Senator Gormley. Democratic
floor leader. go the chair TO preside. an,
I the Republicans offered no objection &
Che Wilmington senator serving in tha
capacity until adjournment.
I To Dust Clerk Boyer.
{ While Senator Gormley scored
Reading Clerk John L. Bradley dur
ing the session yesterday for taking
the roll-call book of Acting CLERK
Boyer and locking It ia drawer. the
Republicans ignored the protest of tho
Wilmington Senator as political by.
play. The Republican majority felt
that Bradley IN taking the roll hool
was only showing that he did not
! recognize tho rfrhf of hcfino Tlovh