The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1897-03-10

f,hg Tyfn EfpJBIfCaN CONFhR-
ENcF. IrWs> FEtffLhss.
Two FACTIONS Arra,.d Against Zach
Other Both Parties a' : '""i''-
cnce. and Cancuses Galore

WksulNCTON. H. c.. Marcn 9.-For
d u,,lo moro than Two hours this after
noon the Democrats OF the Senate en-
dcavorcd o. reach some conclusion upon
the question OF the Organization OF the
senate Like tho Republican conference
OF Saturday il was fruitcss IA results.
Two factions are arraycd against each
other. on the one hand the Rcpubl-
cans present "a s, id nhaanN OF l"rtF-
two votes that Will stand 10y cach oihtt
through thick and thin. On the oth'i'
fher are the DIVIDED ranks OF gold-slahu-
ard democrats silver Democrats, boiling
silver Republicans. and PODulists. lie
problem before those seeking Ia take inc
control of the Senate from the hcpuo-
leans is how these various factions can
ncans is how can these various itclolS
De solidihcd and made enc IA intoie9,.
No satisfactory answer 10 tins question
has yet been proposed ana the HVl'
the discussion proceeds the less 'pp'"'
10 Dc the chance of definite "c.Nn' ,, ~
reason of the inability OF THESE conlthu-
Ing factions 10 cohcrc into one determine"
party Of opposition.
MANY CONFERENCES.
Caucusc. and conferences nave btth UT.
mcrous since she new Senate convened.
The Populists. while holding no loril'i
caucus. have agreed among themselves
that they will support any plan that MAJ
De endorsed by thc Democrats. 30 ~
the silver Republicans those VINO boi',u
the 81. Louis paiform-haNc "sIc,u ~
stand IV whatever policy may De liau-
guratod los the str, niger oihcia poulcs
i'm oppositlon 10 the element now ln con-
control Of the Senate committees. ,,o.,
When me Democratic caucus WAS '"ii'n
Cor To-day. there was no distinction manc
i.,,.,,,, thc mon who endorsed the CHI
caeo ticket and those who stood uPo,
the indianapolis platform. NotiotS 81
the caucus were sent 10 every democrat.
of the gold mon only Mr.. Lindsay, OF
Kentucky. attended. Messrs. Gray OF
Delaware. and Caffery OF Louisiana
were absent. The absence Of Mr.. Gray
a. not looked upon as Significant lor
The reason that Whenever the senate au-
iourus over. he always runs up 10 ms
borue for tho few days al MS dlspOSdi.
Mr. Caffcrv the second absentee. was
mo pcrnanenf chairman of the INDIAN
apolis Convention. and his absence may
have me political signincance.
The situation was discussed IN iatleI
informal manner. and the Only result
reached was the appointment oil inc CIu
Steering Committee. Win senators
Faulkner West virginia. ana smith ~"
Jorsc,J. substituted for Senators Brce
and Blackburn, whose terms expired Ns'
Thursday. ...
THE COMMITTEES.
The effort To take the committees from
the Republicans Is antdgonlzcd py 'VlI'
leading Democrats for various reasons.
Mr. German thinks the scheme TO con-
sobdate aU the factions i'm the Senate
bV a combination with the silver htpup-
licans and the PODulists would De ran
gcrOus and would result IN the cslaulsh-
ment of precedent That might pioNc
embarrassing IN the future. Mr.. Jones'
OF Arkansas chairman OF the Nauohai
Committee. is understood TO be opposed
to II because the Democrats nave IOt
sufficient votes with those OF thcir didVa
-. 10.
conclusion is based upon the assumption
that Senators Lindsay t0f kentuchNl
GRAY of Delaware. and Caiicry 'ol
louisiana each OF whom supported the
indianapolis ticket are not Democrats
Mr. Jones is supported by several OF the
more radical silver men. who thus hope
10 emphasize their disapproNH OF lhe
course of these senators.
These same men also appreciate Inc
fact that If they had possession OF me
committees they would be handicapped
by the Republican House and the kepun-
lican President and would De unable
10 cOnsummate any Of their own pans
Of legislation.
The result Of the two hours talk. there
fore. was concentrated I'm the appoint
ment of the committee mentioned. ana
this committee will confer with the otnor
factions and possibly with the Renuhh-
can Steering Committee announced 'o-
dav by Chnir-nan hn'oon
REPUBLICANS AT SEA.
The Republicans DO not eNucct any SER
ious result from all the talk Of setting
aside the present organization or the
committees. They have so far failed 10
see lust how the contending elements In
the Senate will be able to agree upon "a
plan Of action. At the same time the
Republicans realize their impotence, not
having more than fortv-twO votes. and
with little hope Of having the two sena-
tors appointed from Kentucky and ore
gon seated The belief on the part OF
leading Republican senators is that the
silver Democrats cannot count upon the
votes Of the gold Democrats IN any Plan
shat contomplatos the organization Of the
committees by thc silver vote OF the
Senate. They also believe that the va
cancicg I'm .he various committees VIII be
filled bv agreement between the Repub-
Ucane and the Democrats. and until such
agreement is reached " Is very certain
tro vacancies will not be filled.
II cannot be verified. hut II is stated
tonight with much pCsitiveness. That
Senator Teller Of Colorado, was nj the
caucus. The scheme for a reorganization
Of tho Senate on silver lines contcmnlates
tho election Of * Senator Dubois. or
Idaho as secretary Of the Senate, IN
nlace Of Mr.. Cox Of North Carolina. ana
Inc retention of Colonel Richard Bright.
~ Indiana as Scrgeant-at-Arm A
note was sent tonight to each Repubi-
can senator urging him to be IN his seat