The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1896-01-02

why He Refused TO attend the Caucus OF
MnrNlnmh DemncrAi..


The Annapolis (Ald) correspondent OF
the Baltimore sun writes as follows:
The interest excited by the refusal Of
Senator Bruce TO attend the Democratic
caucus overshadowed every other topic
hero tonight. Even the caucus OF he
nuhliogu members OF the House or Dele
oafes and tie contest for the speakereutl.
took a second place. 1t may ue IN Mi
Bruce's power TO create dtad-io,N'
which would continue indefinitely NAT
course he will pursue Will be Determined
hv events. Mr. Bruce regards the pres
ent contest as war lnausuIeteu "po"
him bv Senator German. and he consid-
ers n a continuation OF the battle which
began i'm tho state Convention last sum-
mer lie saws that he never came loi-
ward as "A candidate FOR President of the
senate. Events and his own position
seemed 10 point TO him aa the logical cam
didatc. He never spoke or wrote 10 =
single member OF the Senate with regard
to his candidacy When friend or SEN
ator Talbot wrote 20 him that he thous nc
an interview with that gentleman might
result I'm getting his vote. he declined 10
accent the suggestion. but eisnt senators
either signihed 10 him personally or 10
some of his friends that they INTENDED 10
support him These were Senators
Michael, Finley. Johnson iisnin""'
Jackson, Bond. Carrico, ana BOWIE.
Ata conference al the Carr0llton HOTEL
I'm Rsltimore some time ago. 30 was gem
orally understood that Senator Bruce was
to he the candidate. and the party lead
4rs EXPRESSED themselves iafOraDly'
Then came the Carroll county election.
Believing that 81 the Democrats mad con-
troll of the senate they would make
GOOD record. SIR. Bruce and Mr. John Is.
covyen went iutO that fight With all their
might Senator Bruce has reason 10 pe-
ueve from letters hc has received that
their efforts were efe tive.
shortly after the election OF Dr. Herring
the attitude OF the friends OF Senator
German changed. Several o. the senators
who had been favorable 10 at Bruce
hal "a sudden and mysterious change OF
conviction, and il became apparent thai
The friends OF Senator German were de-
termined 20 defeat him. and al tine same
time determined 10 use him 90 promote
the election of their own man. II was
told TO Mir Bruce that Senators Crothsrs
and John Walter Smith had declared that
under no circumstances would they vote
Tor him This Air Bruce understood 10
n-cau that they would bolt should be
Doe the caucus nominee. Senator Smith
assured ar Bruce this evening that he
had never made the declaration attri-
buted TO him.
When Mr. Bruces attitude became
known every effort was made to get him
into the caucus. In Baltimore COM
mittee waited on him and intimated that
he could name any one of the fourteen
Democratic senators for president OK
ccpt himself and ne would be accepted.
This Mr. Bruce regarded as an Insult
and as personal attack on him by MT
German. He determined that II he was
to be- b0ycotted and excluded from the
office which was open 10 every other
Democrat he would let them have their
caucus 10 themselves, and informed the
committee that be would nos attend
though ir were determined beforehand
that he were % receive the nomination
Mr. Bruce says that IL be had been Sc
iected il was his intention 70 have ignored
faction in forming committees and 10
appointments.
Senator Bruce after the result OF the
Democratic caucus was announced, de-
clincd 10 say what course he VIII pursue.
Senator CrOthers said tonight:
we were Informed that Senator Bruce
would be 4 candidate for President OF the
Senate. but the matter was not seriously
: considered az the time. as our ability TO
elect q President was dependent upon
the result ia Carroll county. While J
have every respect for Senator Bruce
personally and concede his entire fitness
Tor the position. l was wholly unable TO
bring myself 10 the belief that his elcc-
ton would be anything but disastrous 10
the party Mr. Bruce. although holding
a seat in the Senate as a Democratic
member. vigorously assaulted and oppos-
ed the Democratic party in the last con-
test. I finally concluded 10 oppose his
nomination in the caucus and submit 10
the result. This seemed 10 be the general
feeling among the senator's, and In my
opinion Is the cause Of senator Bruce's
determination TO absent himself from the
CAUCUS
Senator Talbot. in referring to the en-
tanglement. said.
II Senator Bruce votes with the Re-
publcans. IL VIII be impossible for the
democrats 10 organize the Senate. cam
not see what he can gain by ahsenting
himself from the caucus and declining TO
vote for the caucus nominee. lie cannot
get the election for President from the
Republicans, unless some Democratic
member OF the Senate other than himself
will east his vote with the Republicans.
The present situation has a far-reaching
effect Practically nothing can be done.
The Constitution says that the Secretary
OF State shall send to the Speaker OF