The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1894-08-09
THE DEMOCRATIC CAUCUS.
THE FIRES OF TRUE DEMOCRACY
STILL BURN,
Though Called For the Purpose of Sur.
rendering to the Senate on the Tariff
Bill, a Few Patriotic Speeches
Reversed the Sentiment.

~ WASHINGTON, Aug. 7.-Chairman
Wilson and his house tariff conferees
scored victory today when the
house Democratic caucus, called with
o view of terminating the tariff strug-
gle by instrucsing or advising the
house conferees, adjourned without
taking any action. The effect of this
was to leave the house conferees to
work as they saw best and to show
conspicuously that the effort to advise
them had failed. The friends of Mr..
Wilson found that they had the eau
Gus so well in hand that they could
have passed the Livingstone resolu-
tion expressing confidence, but there
R,was no desire on the part of the sup
Srters of the conferees to take this
.lrse. Speaker Crisp and Chairman
+ Wilson expressed themselves as graf.
.Ifed with this conclusion and among
' the rank and file of the house the
sentiment was general that the move
ment inaugurated to bring about an
acceptance of the senate bill had res
suited in materially strengthening
the opposition to the senate bill.
The caucus was called to order by
Chairman Holman. The roll call dis
closed the presence of 166 members.
Speaker Crisp sat among the members
on the floor of the house. Near him
was Chairman Wilson and Represen-
Gative Mcmillan. Messrs. Bynum
and Springer, who had urged the
caucus, were togesher in conference
throughout the meeting. By an error
the clerk read Mr.. Springer's name at
two different stages OF the roll call
and great laughter was occasioned
Thereby.
Enthusiasm was aroused by the
$reading of a message announcing the
result of the Alabama election. Then
Mr.. Bynum offered the following res.
Olution:
Whereas, house bill No. 1857, for the
reduction of taxation and to provide
revenue for the government, passed
the house on February l, and the SEN
ate on the 3rd of July, and was sent to
conference on the 7th of July, and
Whereas, the commercial interests
of this country has been held in sus-
s1gense waiting final settlement, and
r. Whereas, the people of the whole
country have, through the press and
by petitions and memorials to bot5
houses OF congles demanded speedy
decision, that the industries of the
country may as soon as possible be
adjusted to the proposed change, and
Whereas, the conterees appointed
by the two houses to hold full con.
ference over the disagreeing votes of
two houses, have had the matters in
dispute under consideration for one
month, and have failed to come to
any agreement whatever, and
n Whereas, the house of representa-
ives, which under the constitution of
the United States is clothed with the
executive power to originate bills rails
ing revenue, and is therefore with the
right to pass upon all amendments
proposed by the senate freely and
without restraint, and
Whereas, The members of the house
of representatives have not availed
themselves of an opportunity to con.
slider said senate amendments or any
of them, which right under parlia-
mentary law is superior to all others,
and
Whereas, 1t is currently believed
that said conferees are unableto agree,
therefore, be it
Resolved, First, that it is the sense
Y of this caucus that the Democratic
\ conferees of the house and the senate
q should meet in spirit of liborality to
n the end that the two houses by mu-
tual concessions may agree upon a
measure which will meet with the ap-
|f5sssval of each.
- NWecOnd-That the caucus stands ad'
~ Vrned until 8 o'clock Friday after
/. S,an, at which time, in case no agree
ETnept has been reached, we shall re.
convene to take such further action in
he premises as IL may deem neces-
ary and appropriate, and the chair
nan of the house caucus is hereby au.
,horiZed and directed to invite the
Democratic senators to meet with the
4 democrats of the house at that time
in Joint CAUCUS"
la his explanatory statement, which
4 was brief one, Mr.. Bynum said that
although there had been clamor to
press the house bill he believed that
the overwhelming sentiment of the
country was for the best possible bill
that could be agreed upon. He had
no sympathy with the stand taken by
sone members that it would be better
60 retain the Mckinley bill than sub
stitute the senate bill for it,
When Chairman Wilson of the ways
Ann -,,n-