Evening star., 1896-12-08
Considered by Republican Senators
In Caucus.
REFERRED TO STEERING COMMITTEE
Other Matters Brought Up fo'
Action.
MR.. DUBOIS RESIGNATION

ley and Carter. Others sufficient to consti-
tute a quorum. strolled in during the next
fifteen or twenty minutes. so that the
caucus was well under way by 1890 o'clock
The most noticeable feature of the caucus
as seen from the outside was the absence
of the men who had bolted the nomination
of Mckinley because Of the gold standard
platform. Those who were absent on this
account were Senators Dubois, Pettigrew,
Mantle, Cannon. Squire and Teller. All of
these except Senator Teller were In the
city and could have attended If they had
been so disposed. Indeed. some Of them
we're in their committee rooms in the Cap
itol while the caucus was in progress.
Mr.. Dubois Resigns.
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:
UNITED STATES SENATE.
Washington, D. c., Dec. 8, 1896.
To Hon. John Sherman. Chairman Caucus
Of Republican Senators. Washington.
ticn as secretary Of the caucus of repub-
lican Senators. / also resign my position
as a member and secretary Of the republi-
csn advisory or steering committee of
FRED. T. DUBOIS.
The boilers had all received Invitations.
which were sent them as If they had never
left the party. but they had decided not 10
attend. They had found 1t impossible TO
communicate with Senator Teller. who has
Eot yet reached the city. but all expressed
confidence that If here he would not have
gone into the conference.
If the bolting silverites were conspicu-
Gus by their absence, the silver men who
had remained within the party were, as
rule, exceptionally prompt in their attend
ance Senator Carter, who while he refused
10 accept the Dingley tariff bill, 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. Wolcott, Mitchell, Shoup Hans
brough, Cameron, Pritchard, Perkins and
Clark, who heretofore have always voted
for silver when the question was before
the Senate
Business Transacted.
The caucrs adjourned at 1:2O, having
been in session for less than an hour. In
that time, however. an unusual amount of
business was transacted, and the caucus
was pronounced by these present to have
been one Of the snoothest and most busi-
ness-like they had ever attended 1t was
an exception to the rule In caucuses in
that there were no long speeches and very
few speeches of any character.
Senator Dubois letter of resignation was
received without a word of comment
We just closed up the ranks and march
ed on" said one Of the participants In re-
feTring to the incident after the close of
the meeting.
There was formal motion to accept
the resignation, but taking its acceptance
as a matter of fact, Senator Lodge moved
the election of Senator Wilson of Wash
ington in his stead as secretary, while
Senator Shoup was placed on the steering
committee in the place vacated by his col
league. This committee was also enlarged
by the addition of the name of Senator
The Dinsley Bin.
The advisability of trying to pass the
Dingley tariff bill was the main topic of
discussion. though the meeting had been
called for the purpose of agreeing upon a
program for the entire session. This ques-
tion was, however. 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. 1t was the prevailing opinion
that the best policy demanded the passage
of the bill. If possible to encompass 1t,
but the opinion seemed quite as general
that this result was not within the range of
the possibilities.
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 decided
to stand by that measure as a party and
TO press for its early consideration.
An International Agreement.
The caucus also decided for an interna-
tional agreement on silver by agreeing to
a resolution introduced by Senator VOL
cott. providing for the appointment of a
special committee Of five Senators to devise
a plan during the present session to secure
such a conference.
tion offered by Senator Wolcott Of Colorado
and adopted by the caucus:
Resolved, That special committee of
five members Of this caucus be appointed
to recommend some plan whereby legisa-
tion may be had at this session of Congress
looking to an international conference with
leading commercial nations of the world
for the promotion Of bimetallism."
An Important Thing.
One Of the most important things to be
discovered by the caucus was how many
there were of them to caucus and who they
were. There was an idea that possibly all
the bolting republicans except Dubois and
Teller might go into the caucus. This was
due to lack Of appreciation of the char
acter OF the men concerned. The more
penetrating Of the republican leaders real
ized however, that after quitting the repub-
lican party at the national convention. re-
Jecting the platform and supporting Bryan,
these Senators could not without great
humiliation appear in a republican caucus.
When the caucus assembled 1t was found
that Dubois, Cannon. Teller. Mantle Petit
grew and Squire were not present The
full significance Of this Is not yet certain
1t does not necessarily imply that all of the
boilers will vote against every measure the
republicans may propose. 1t is not unlikely
that some Of them might vote for q pro-
tectfve tariff If its provisions were salts
factory to them. but they are in the atti-
tude of not now being members Of the
''sound money republican party 1t will
be the duty Of the steering committee to
ascertain just what the attitude of the boil
ters is IL possible. The caucus itself was of a
preliminary character for the purpose of
finding where they were at"
Difference of Opinion.
The discussion turned on the question of
whether or not anything could be done as
to the tariff and finance at this session.
very wide difference of opinion was dis
closed. One element, under the leadershfp