have the House organized by the Democrats than allow
party treachery to be thus rewarded.

While the deadlock was in progress, Senators Alcorn and Ames suddenly
made their appearance upon the scene of action. They had made the trip
from Washington to use their influence to break the deadlock, and to
bring about an organization of the House by the Republican party. But
Senator Alcorn was the one that could render the most effective service
in that direction, since the bolters were men who professed to be
followers of his and loyal to his political interests and leadership.

As soon as the Senator arrived he held a conference with the bolters,
including Messrs. Armstead and Streeter,--the two independents from
Carroll. In addressing those who had been elected as Republicans and who
had attended and participated in the caucus of that party, the Senator
did not mince his words. He told them in plain language that they were
in honor bound to support the caucus nominees of their party, or that
they must resign their seats and allow their constituents to elect
others that would do so. With reference to the Independents from
Carroll, he said the situation was slightly different. They had been
elected as Independents under conditions which did not obligate them to
enter the Republican caucus or support the candidates thereof. They had
pledged themselves not to support the Democratic caucus nominees, nor to
aid that party in the organization of the House. Up to that time they
had not made a move, nor given a vote that could be construed into a
violation of the pledge under which they had been elected, but they had
publicly declared on several occasions that they had been elected as
Independents or Alcorn Republicans. In other words, they had been
elected as friends and supporters of the Alcorn administration, and of
that type of Republicanism for which he stood and of which he was the
representative. If this were true then they should not hesitate to take
the advice of the man to support whose administration they had been
elected. He informed them that if they meant what they said the best way
for them to prove it was to vote for the Republican caucus nominees for
officers of the House, because he was the recognized leader of the party
in the State and that the issue involved in the elections was either an
endorsement or repudiation of his administration as Governor. Republican
success under such circumstances meant an endorsemen