The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1926-01-14
1T is NOW SENATOR NYE

tOTalO FORKS HcralO)
By the close vote Of Al to 80 the
Senate has decided that Gerald p.
Nyc is entitled to the seat to which
Governor Sorlie Of North Dakota 'ap-
pointed him, an" Mr.. Nye, having
taken the oath required, is now u
United States senator. With the
larger vote taken into consideration
it is as close us was the vote by
was rejected some years ago.
II would be idle to assert that par
~ and factional considerations did
this question. From the beginning
Of the discussion Mr.. Nye's factional
associates in North Dakota have
urged that he be seated because of
his "Republicanism," and because Of
his "progrcssivcism" Those who as
sert that the legislature Of North
Dakota, gave any consideration TO the
filling Of senatorial vacancies In the
enactment of any existing legislation
are flying squarely in the face Of the
known facts. The legislature never
paid any attention to the subject.
The pretensc that it did so was so
thin that little attention was paid
to it here. and the main argument
in this state for Mr.. Nye rested on
his party utilization. There was a
like disregard for legal requirements
on the part of the entire insurgent
group in the Senate. No one mag
ines for moment that Senators
Frazier, BrOOkhart and La Toilette
would have voted to seat the candi-
date from North Dakota if he had
belonged to what is known as the
old guard. The fact that Mr.. Nye is
Of their own faction accounts for the
casting of the solid insurgent vote
for him.
The fractional leanings of the reg
ular Republicans and Democrats are
not shown to an equal extent by the
vote. Several administration Repub-
licans voted for seating, and the
Democrats who voted against seat
ing could have had no possible po-
litical reason for their attitude. SEN
ator Walsh of Montana, for instance,
is not only q Democrat, but is re-
garded as progressive" Democrat,
yet he voted against seating. SEN
ator Underwood, though Democrat,
has often been denounced by those
who wish to be considered progress
sive as a reactionary of the deepest
dye, yet he voted against seating.
His standing as lawyer and his
character as a man preclude the
thought that his vote on this legal
question was influenced by party con-
siderations of any kind.
Yet, while the vote was not gov
erned entirely by party considera-
tiOns, the record shows pretty clearly
that party considerations had some
influence in both parties. Senator
Nye, while claiming to be Republi-
can, is really nothing of the sort, as
is we'll understood. He will be found
voting and working with those al
legged Republicans who, though they
have repudiated their party and who
seek its destruction, still insist on
wearing the party label. Naturally
those members of the party in the
Senate who constitute the majority,
and who are charged with RESPONSE
bility for the conduct Of the business
OF the Senate, are not enthusiastic
over the enrolment of another vote
against them. On the other hand,
Democrats who have an eye on the
| next campaign see in the addition Of
another to the insurgent group in
creased opportunity to cmbarrass the
Republicans and thereby to make po-
litical medicine. These political con-
siderati0ns have operated IN varying
measure within the several groups.
Among the insurgents they appear to
have been 100 per cent effective.
Among the regulars Of both parties
their influence has varied with the
!, temperament Of the individual.
| As to the ultimate political effect
Of the seating Of Mr.. Nye. The Her.
| aid has already expressed the belief
that it will be negligible. The new
J Senator will occupy very incon.
spicu0us position during this session
and while this vote will count where.
ever cast, # DOES not appear likely
that this accession 10 the insurgent
ranks win have any important etfect
4 u goes without saying that Mr.. Nye
\ viii ~ candidate for reeleetjOn u
the June primary. Eqsally 10 you'd
have been eandi4ate Md ~ mol
! hesa I. sse.etsd - aet seated ~ vould
y