Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1893-01-10
CAUCUS COLLAPSE.

Austin, Tex, Jan. 0.-(Spociall The
surprising development Of the day has
been the collapse of the caucus move.
ment, which came at o'clock this after.
noon, defeating all calculations. that
hour about seventy members Of the house
met In representative chumbcr TO deter
mine whether or not a caucus should be
organized. Il was an open meeting and
no test for ndmittonce 20 participate
was applied.
Mr.. Noodle Of Limestone and Mr.,
Davis Of Falls spoke for caucus
and Messrs, Erskine Of l'rio, Kirk Of
Fayette aud Breeding of Houston
against Il. Tho argument IN is favor
was That Il was necessary to givegeftect
20 the wishes Of the regular Democracy,
that there were thirty-two Clark men
and eight Populists In the house. and
thnt without organization ON the other
side they would have a prepondernting
influence In the selection ,ef officers
and in the shaping OF legislation.
The negative argument was that the
opposition TO the regulars Is too small
10 be worth considering, that there " no
need " any sort for caucus rule aud that
IL is always odious and never 20 he re
sorted 60 except In case of extreme neccs-
s.ty
The latter Wow gained IN favor by dis
cussiou and when motion was made
10 hold a caucus tonight IL was showed
under by "a storm Of nays with only Eve
/ or six affirmative votes. Tho opponents
/ OF the administration are In high fcuiher
/ over this result and it viii be p0raied
| IN tOmorrOws Newses az a distinct defeat
/ for the administration.
! Herr Is some side light on the situa-
| ton that gives another view Of the mat
| ter Representatives Of the several can
/ ddates for speaker except Mr.. Breeding
/ called upon Governor Hogg today and
| discussed with him the question Of II
caucus upon the subject Of the speaker
ship He said that as all OF the cnndi-
! dates were good Democrats there seemed
| 20 be no necessity OF deciding that mat.
/ ter In caucus, but urged the adoption OF
cnucus to buttress the measures "a
| which the Democratic party pledged
! itself ~ its platform, especially II i
| should become apparent that organized
opposition was 10 be made to them. II
was after these consultations the after
noon meeting was held. II the admins
| tradOn had desired q caucus Il could has
secured one. The truth Is it Is taking nc
hand in the speakcrship contest. In The
last legislature II maintained q strict neu
trality between Mr.. Browning aud Mr.
Miner and 1t is doing the same thing
now.
The effect Of the afternoon iasco viii
! be- undoubtedly 10 Lessen the chances oil
I Mr. Gossett and that probably means
the improvement Of Wilson's chances
or the forty votes, Clark mon aud Popu
lists who without a caucus will be fac
tors i'm making q selection, Mr.. GOssetl
win get but few ii any votes. While al
OF the candidates are administration mer
he Is most Objectionable 10 the ants.
on the other hand Mr., Cochran has
made souo opponents who credited hin
with defeating the caucus program IN
order to get the assistance OF the Clarl
mon. One wrathy caucus man stated
this evening that Mr.. Cochran held tn
position of speaker before through III,
aid of the Republican vote and that h'
made Republican chairman OF one 81
The most important committees. This IN
dicates tile feeling risiag ia some quar-
ters. There are about forty mcmber
who are for q caucus first aud they arr
greatly disappointed Rightly or wrong
fully thoy attribute the failure this even
ing 30 the Cochran influence. Summe,
ups The situation tonight looks very ia
vorable so Wilson. although he will star
| third Ia the rnce. The vote between
Cochran and GOssett will be close, al
though the indications are now thn
Cochran win lead He will get the ma
iOr part Of the INSTRUMENTATION vote
II will swell his forces 10 begin with an'
defeat him in the end. Willie he !
friendly 10 the administration the fac
that his election would be hailed as
triumph by It's enemies n being use
u.ftl IA ron0 affaot npaiugf him