The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1894-05-15
A FRUTTLESS CAUCUS.
Republican Senators Cannot Agree
on a Mode of Procedure,
IN SESSION NEARLY FOUR HOURS.

Each Senator Left Free TO Vote and Act
in Accordance with His own wishes.
Some Senators Believe the Tariff Bill
Can be Defeated.
WAsHINGToN May 15.-Ths Republican
members Of the senate were in caucus at
Senator Sherman's house last night from
until 1880. The caucus partOok more of
the nature Of an informal conference than
a business meeting, and while IL was
called with the purpose of arriving at =
conclusion as TO the method to be pursued
by the Republican party in the senate it
closed without eliciting anything in the
way Of party declaration. There was no
vote on any proposition whatever and tho
proceedings consisted of large number
of speeches. There were about twenty
five of the thirty-seven senators present,
and every one there had something to say
in the course Of the evening.
There was great divergence OF views
Indeed, the accounts of the meeting agree
that while there we're probably twenty
brief speeches no two of them were on the
same lines or advised the same manner of
proceeding There was no agreement eX-
cept upon the one point, that the bill
lines the greatest divergence of opinion
was OH the ability of the Republicans to
beat the bill at all, and while there was
no formal divisi which would permit Of
a counting the caucus appeared to be
about evenly divided in sentiment upon
this question.
A statement that eastern senators were
favorable to the continuation Of the oppo-
Z sition on the lines which are now being
observed, and that western senators were
! opposed to any effort to secure delay for
delays sake, would be in 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
necessary to demonstrate the correctness
| of this assertion was to give the Demo
Gratis time to widen the breach which they
asserted now exists. Some Of them de-
clared that four or five Democratic votes
could be counted on as opposed to the bill,
| while one of those present went so far as
to say that he was assured of the oppo-
sition of at least seven Democratic sena-
tors No names of Democratic senators
were given however
The opposition element oontended that
there was no positive assurance Of any
Democratic support in opposition to the
bill, and that the only means of testing
the truth of the rumors Of Democratic
disaffection was to let the voting go on.
There was much talk as to the general
demerits and inconsistencies of the bill
and some of the silver Republican senators
did not fail to call attention to the lack OF
sympathy which had been displayed on
the part of Republican senators when the
silver repeal bill was before the senate
last fall, and to intimate that they had nc
desire at this time to heap Goals Of fire or
the heads of that element in the party al
this time by doing kindness In return fol
what they termed inconsiderateness
These silver senators agreed in the mair
with their Republican colleagues as tx
the undesirability of passing the bill, but
declared they would not filibuster, especi
ally in view of the strong probability Of
the passage of the bill, despite any op
position that might be made to 1t. Tht
more radical opponents of the bill replied
that they had no desire to or intention Of
flibustering, but asserted that the bill wa
one which could be opposed by legitimat,
methods for long time.
There was also an exchange Of views OF
the policy of Republicans voting for tn,
| Democratic amendments to the bill, bu
the only agreement reached upon this
point, as upon the other, was to allow fol
the present individual Republicans to ac
in accordance with their own inclinations
Some of the senators expressed the opin
ion at the close of the conference that an
other meeting Of the party in the senat
would be held at an early day.
The caucus assigned Senator Patton t,
positions on the COMMITTEES on agriculture
claims, railroads and Indian affairs. Sen
ator Mcmillan will resign from the com
mittee on agriculture and will take tn
place on naval affairs made vacant b.
Senator Stockbridge's death, Senator Da
Wis will retire from the committee Of
claims.