Birmingham state herald. (Birmingham, Ala.) 1895-1897, 1897-03-10
WILL DEMOCRATS UNITE
With PopuIists and Free Silver
Republicans?
THEY CAN HOLD THE FORT
So Far as the Senate Is Concerned-Repubii-
cans by No Means Sure Organ
zing that Body.
THEY CAN HOLD THE FORT

washington March 9.-For a little more
than two hours this afternoon the demo-
Gratis of the senate endeavored to reach
some conclusion upon the question of the
orga animation of the senate. Like the re-
publican conference of Saturday it was
fruitless in results. The two factions
are arrayed against each other. on the
one hand the republicans present solid
phalanx of forty-two votes that will
stand by each other through thick and
thin On the other there are the divided
ranks of gold standard democrats, silver
democrats, boiling silver republicans and
populists. The problem before those
seeking to take the control of the SEN
ate from the republicans is how can
these various factions be solidifed and
made one in interest? No satisfactory
answer to this question has yet been pro-
posed, and the more the discussion pro-
ceeds the less appears to be the chances
of definite action by reason of the inabili-
ty of these cOntending factions TO co-here
into one determined party of opposition.
CaucuseS and conferences have been
numerous since the new senate convened.
The populists, while holding no formal
caucus have agreed among themselves
that they will support any plan that may
be Endorsed by the democrats. SO, too,
the silver republicans-those who bolt
ed" the st. Louis platform-have agreed
to stand by whatever policy may be in
augurated by the stronger of the bodies
in opposition to the element now in con-
troll of the senate committees.
When the democratic caucus was cali
ed for today there was no distinction
made between the men who Endorsed the
Chicago ticket and those who stood upon
the Indianapolis platform. Notices of
the caucus were sent to every member.
OF the gold men only Mr.. Lindsay. of
Kentucky, attended Messrs. Gray. Of
Delaware, and Caffery of Louisiana,
were absent. The absence of Mr.. Gray
is not looked upon s significant for the
reason that whenever the senate adj
journs over he always runs up to his
home for the few days at his disposal.
Mr. Caffery, the second absentee. was the
permanent chairman of the Indianapolis
convention, and his absence may have
some political significance. The situa-
ton was discussed in a rather informal
| manner and the only result reached was
| the appointment of the old steering COM
| mittee, with Senator's Faulkner. of West
| Virginia, and Smith, of New Jersey, sub
| stftuted for Senator's Brice and Black
| burn, whose term expired last Thursday.
| The effort to take the committees from
| the republicans is antagonized by some
| leading democrats for various reasons.
| Mr.. German thinks the scheme to con-
! solidate all the factions in the senate by
| a combination with the silver republicans
] ara the pOpullStS WOULD De dangerous
and would result in the establishment of
| a precedent that might prove embar-
| RAISING in the future. Mr.. Jones. Of
| Arkansas, chairman of the national COM
| mittee is understood to be opposed to
| It because the democrats have not suf-
| ficient votes with those of their allies to
| do what is proposed to be done. This
| conclusion is based upon the assumption
| thai Senators Lindsay, of Kentucky;
| Gray, of Delaware, and Caffery. OF Louis
| lana, each of whom supported the In
| dianapolis ticket, are not democrats.
| Mr. Jones is supported by several of the
more radical silver men who thus hope
| to emphasize their disapproval of the
| course of these senators. These same
| men also appreciate the fact that IL they
| had possession of the committees they
| would be Handicapped by the republican
| house and the republican president and
| would be unable to consummate any of
| their own plans of legislation. The re-
suit of the two hours talk, therefore. was
| concentrated in the appointment of the
| committee mentioned and this committee
| will confer with the other factions and
| possibly with the republican steering
| committee announced today by Chairman
| Allison
| rious result from all the talk of setting
aside the present organization Of the
| committee. They have so far failed to
| see just how the contending elements in
| the senate will be able to agree upon a
| piaI, of action. At the same time the
| republicans -ra.ize their impotence. not
| havi-r than fortytwo votes and
4 with J af having the two sena-
tors -. frtm Kentucky and Ore
| gnn seNs rye belief on the part OF
leading republican senators Is that the