Omaha daily bee., 1896-12-09
SIX BOLTERS WERE ABSENT
Dubois, Pettigrew, Mantle Cannon, Squire,
Teller Not at Caucus
DECLINE TO MEET WITH REPUBLICANS
silver Senator'S Who Boltcd Mcl<in-
lcy's Nomination at 81. Louis
Remain out In the Cold
from Choice.

WASHINGTON. Dec. S-The most malice
able feature of the republican senate
caucus which assembled today, as seen from
the outside, was the absence of the men
who had bolted the nomination OF Mckin-
ley because of the gold standard platform
Those who were absent were Senators Du-
bos, Pettgrcw, Mantle, Cannon. Squire and
Teller All these except Teller were in the
city and could have attended If they had
been so disposed. Indeed, some OF them
were in their committee rooms in the capl-
tol while the caucus was in progress. That
their absence was intentional was clearly
shown by the following letter. which Senator
Dubois sent to the caucus and which was
read soon after the meeting was called to
order by Senator sherman
u. S. SENATE. WASHINGTON, ID. c.
To Hon. John sherman, Chairman Caucus
of Republican Senators. Washington, H. c.:
SRI hereby respectfully resign my posi-
uon as secretary of the caucus of republic
can senator's l also resign my position as
Il member and secretary of the republican
advisory or steering" committee of the
FRED T. DUBOIS.
The boilers had all received invitations.
which were sent them as II they had never
left the party, but they had decided not to
attend. They had found ii impossible to
communicate with Senator Teller. who has
not yet reached the city, but all expressed
confidence that if here he would not have
gone into the conference. If the bolting
stlverites were conspicuous by their alb
sence, the silver men who remained within
the party were, as rule, exceptionally
prompt in their attendance. Senator Car
ter, who while he refused to accept the
Dingley tarin bill and yet refused to walk
out of the st. Louis convention, was the
second man to enter the caucus chamber
and he was followed closely by Messrs. VOL
colt, Mitchell, Shoup, Hansbrough, Cameron,
Pritchard, Perkins and Clark, who hereto
fore have always voted for silver when the
question was before the senate
There were no long speeches in the caucus
and very few speeches of any character SEN
ator Dubois resignation was re-
ceivcd without a word of comment. 1--WE
just closed up the ranks and marched
on" said one of the participants, in referring
to the incident after the close of the meet
ing Senator Lodge moved the election of
Senator Wilson of Washington in his stead
as secretary, while Senator Shoup was placed
on the steering committee in the place va
Gated by his colleague. This committee
was also enlarged by the addition of the
name of Senator Hansbrough of North Da-
kota.
The Dingley tariff bill was referred to
the steering committee, with instructions
to investigate as to the likelihood of getting
the bill through, and to devise a means to
that end If possible. IL was the prevailing
opinion that the best policy demanded the
passage of the bill, If possible to encompass
1t, but the opinion seemed to be quite as
general that this result was not within the
range of possibility. The entire question
was referred to the committee with very
liberal powers.
Senator Gear brought up the Pacific rail-
road question, as did Senator Lodge the
immigration bill The Pacific road bill was
referred to the steering committee. but after
Mr.. Lodge had explained the status of the
immigration bill, the caucus desired to
stand by that as a party measure and to
Gus also decided for an international agree
ment on silver by agreeing to the following
resolution introduced by Senator WOlcott:
Resolved. That special committee of
five members of this caucus be appointed
tion may be had in this session of congress
looking to an International conference with
the Leading commercial nations of the world
for the promotion of bmetalism.
The action of the caucus in referring the
DinSley tariff bill to the steering committee
and the circumstances upder which this ac-
tion was taken are accepted in the senate
as practically the end Of the agitation in
the interests of the measure. The debate in
the caucus developed that there was wide
differences as to the advsability of at
tempting to pass the bill, even among the
republicans and the opinion was expressed
by some who were on the inside that fully
one-third of the republican senators, not
the silver boilers, were antagonis-
tic to the bill