The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1894-05-16

WASHINGTON. May 1.-THE repub-
Hcan members of the senate were in
caucus at Senator Sherman's house to-
night from O'Clock until Il 80. The
caucus partook more Of the nature Of an
informal conference than a business
meeting, and while it was called for
the purpose Of arriving at a conclusion
as 10 the method to be pursued by the
republican party in the senate. il closed
without eliciting anything in the way OF
a party declaration. There was no vote
on any proposition whatever and the
proceedings consisted in a large num-
Der Of speeches.
There We're about twenty-five Of the
thirty-seven republican senators present,
and every one there had something to
say in the course Of the evening. There
was a great divergence of views. Indeed,
the accounts Of the meeting agree that,
while there We're probably twenty
speeches, most of them, of course, brief,
no two of them We're on the same lines
or advised the same manner Of proceed
ing. There was no agreement except
upon the one point that the bill should
be beaten If possible. On general lines
the greatest divergence of opinion was
on the ability OF the republicans TO beat
the bill at all, and while there was no
formal decision which would permit OF
accounting, the caucus appeared TO be
about evenly divided in sentiment upon
this question. \ statement that eastern
senators We're favorable to the continua-
ton OF the opposition % the lines which
are now being observed and that west
ern senators were opposed 10 any effort
10 secure delay, for delays sake, would
be in a general way correct, but there
were exceptions on both sides.
Senators Aldrich, Chandler. Frye and
others cOntended that the bill could be
defeated, and said that all that was nee
essary 10 demonstrate the correctness OF
this assertion was to give the democrats
time 10 widen the breach which they as
serted now exists. Some OF them Ce-
clared that four or five democratic votes
could be counted on as opposed 10 the bill,
while one Of those present went so far as
TO say that he was assured of the opposi-
tiOn Of at least seven democratic sena-
tors. No names of democratic senators
were given, however.
The opposition element contended that
there was no positive assurance Of any
bill and that the only means of testing
the truth Of rumOrs of democratic dis
satisfaction was to let the voting go on.
There was much talk as 70 the general
demer1ts and inconsistencies Of the bill,
and some Of the silver republican sena-
tors did not fail TO call attention TO the
lack OF sympathy which had been dis
played on the part Of the republican
senators when the silver repeal was be-
fore the senate last fall and TO intimate
that they had no desire at this time TO
heap Goals of fire on the heads Of that
element in the party at this time by
doing kindness in return for what they
termed incOnsiderateness- They agreed
in the main with their republican coli
leagues as to the undesirability Of pass
ing the bill. but declared they would
not filibuster especially in view of the
strong probability of the passage Of the
bill despite any opposition that might
be made u il.
The more radical opponents Of the
bill replied that they had no desire or
intention Of filibusterinE but asserted
that the bill was one which could be
opposed by legitimate methods for a
long time. There was also an exchange
of views on the policy Of republicans
voting for the democratic amendments
10 the bill but the only agreement
reached upon this point, as upon the
other, was 10 allow, for the present in
dividual republican senators to act in
accordance with their own inclinations.
Some Of the senators expressed the opin-
ion at the close Of the conference that
another meeting Of the party in the
senate would be held an early day.