The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1897-01-16

Continued from tst page.)

| was being made to gag them In this
| confusion Senator McCaskey, of Martin,
who is partial to Pritchard, is said to have
called out: IF / can't get hearing,
| want my friends to walk out with me-"
He started out and was followed
| out the chamber by eighteen others. They
| claimed that they did not go out as bolt
| ers, but because they thought they could
| not get a fair hearing. Before they left
| the hall, Chairman Atwater arose and
announced that he would sec that Mr..
| McCaskey and his friends should have
| all possible consideration and courtesy,
aud to this Senator McCaskcy replied:
| Il believe you would
1t is not too much to say that the ma
| jority of the Peoples party members who
remained in the chamber were both sur
| prised and panied at this procedure. 1t
was taken in the face of the solemn res0-
| luton and pledge adopted at the first
| meeting that 1--WE ABIDE BY THE
| DECISION OF THE MAJORITY IN
ALL OUR DELIBERATIONS" Those
| who left the regular caucus proceeded TO
| the House chamber where they organized
| a caucus Of their own by electing Sena-
| tor McCaskey chairman, and adopted
| the following resolution:
THE following members of the Senate
and House OF Representatives, in con.
| ference assembled, desire to say by reso-
| luton that we enter our solemn protest
| against the high-handed method of gag
| rule perpetrated on us by the majority
| of the Populist caucus tonight, and
| after having listened on our part with
| great patience to the views of the ma
nr,f x- annnr1ts,u no, NJ
| two hours for each speaker, without pro-
| test or murmuring, when we asked to
have time to discuss our side of the ques-
| ton we were unceremoniously told by
| the majority faction that we could have
| only ten minutes each; that after we had
| appealed to the leaders and members of
| the majority faction to give us time for
| free and fair discussion OF the Senatorial
| question and time to hear from our consti-
| uents upon this important question, they
| absolutely refused to agree to consider
| the question Mt any other time, and so
cut off discussion by unfair and filibuster-
| ing tactics.
Therefore be it resolved first, That
| we inform our brethren who compose the
other faction that when they desire the
cooperation of this faction they must
! assure us by resolution that they are
| willing to accord us a fair discussion at
| some future time to be agreed upon by
| both factions; that then and not until
| then we will consent to again sit togeth
| err
| (Sgned) 4, il. McCaskey, chairman;
| j. i. Newsom, j. III. Early, G.. l.. Hardi-
| son, G.. I'll. Cannon, ID. Reid Parker, II.
| III. W. Baker, Il. Il. Wakefield, III. II.
| Hodges, G.. j. Marlborough, J. f. Bryan,
| L. III. Rountree, J. G. Harris, Frank
| Brown, l.. A. Abernethy, G. NJ. Babbitt,
J. III. Parker, j. J. White, &C. Pagan.
Thirty-eight members of the caucus re-
| NAMED in the Senate chamber and a.
| dopted the resolution offered by Senator
| Moye without dissenting vote
| The above communication was received
| with increased surprise by the members
| of the regular caucus. They remembered
| that on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thurs
| day evenings Congressman Skinner had
| addressed the caucus without limit as to
| time, consuming nearly five hours of
| time IN advocating the claims of Mr.
Pritchard for the Senatorship; that
| on Friday evening Capt. Peace had con-
sumed fifty-three minutes for the same
purpose, making u total of fye hours and
| forty minutes, or perhaps six hours,
Of time consumed in behalf of Mr.. Pritch.
/ ard They remembered further that only
| Oh Thursday evening had any set speech
or address .been made in opposition to
/ Mr.. Pritchard. This speech was made
/ by Senator Butler, aud occupied about
one hour and a half On Friday morning
DIR. Cy. Thompson spoke. perhaps for
1 flfka Wilson {ap
seven minutes. both advocating unity OF
| action. Hal Aver spoke for twelve min
utes, Analysing the letter of Senator
l Prtchard to Congressman Skinner. So
| that if all the time consumed by the gen
tlemen should be charged against the adj
yoeates of Mr. pritchard. and added TO
| the time consumed by Senator Butler, il
aggregates less than TWO hours against
| nearly six hours which had been accorded
with respect and patience to Mr.. pritch
ards advocates.
The members Of tho regular caucus
| could not see any just ground for the
| complaint of the minority faction IN
turth, there WAS no just ground FOR it,
| for no effort whatever had been made
! to limit expression Of opinion from amy
| regular member of the caucus.
4
| cause or fancied cause for division, the
majority framed and sent to the minority
faction the following communication on
| Saturday afternoon:
| Resolved. That the caucus consider
ing only the best interests Of the Peoples
party and desiring above everything else
in every possible way to advance both
| the local and national welfare of the
same, disclaims any intention OF discour-
| tesy or unfairness, and regret any action
on the part of the maporiiy which may
have seemed unfair and oppressive to the
minority. and cordially invite their return
| for further deliberation and harmonious
| settlement Of all party politics with the
| assurance that there shall be the fullest
appreciation and recognition of the rights
| OF every member of the other caucus, 10
| the end that no member Of the caucus
| may feel aggrieyed at the decision Of the
| majority, however, it may be and that