The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1898-12-20
CHANGE N PRACTICE
Action of Democratic Caucuses
IL Now Binding.
A SOLID VOTE FOR SILVER
Returns Show a Republican Loss OF
Three-Quarters OF q Million Votes
In the East-The Extra Session
OF Congress.
Washington Bureau of the standard. 4,
No. 11A5 q street n. w.

warrington bureau OF the Standard,
No. 1145 q Street n. w.
Washington. Dec. 17.-When Con-
gresham A. j. Campbell comes on to
Washington to take up his duties as
a member OF the house he will have
an opportunity to attend genuine cau-
cuses OF the democratic party member
ship. Strange as 1t may seem to DEM
ocrats who have always regarded par
ty caucuses and conventions as bind
ing. II is a fac hat for many years
democratic house caucuses have been
considered advisory only. and in no
way binding upon participants. As a
rule the only caucus in an entire CON-
gress which has been obeyed by the
democratic membership was the one
to choose candidates for officers of the
house. Here the members of the par
ty drew the strict line of party de-
narration. but to all other caucuses
they came only when IL suited them,
and, after the caucus took action, they
felt entirely at liberty to do exactly
as they pleased about supporting the
resolutions adopted in the caucus.
With the republicans IL has been de-
cidedly different. They nave adhered
with great consistency and earnestness
to the results of caucus action. m this
course has borne fruit in rendering re-
publican congresses more effective In
passing legislation demanded by the
party than their democratic opponents.
Observance of caucus action enables
the party to vote compactly n get
better results than the democrats can
possibly obtain by regarding caucuses
as merely advisory.
Now, however, there has been n
change i'm the democratic practice, and
henceforth democratic are
certain to be productive of results. Aft
err the matter had been pending for
several months the house democratic
caucus has decided that hereafter the
resolutions adopted by democratic eau
cuses shall be binding on all those par
ticipating in them.
This action secures more uniformity
of action among democrats than mas
been noticeable In recent years, and
will have a tendency to more clearly
define democratic issues for 1900. The
caucus resolutions maxi only n ex-
ception to the demand for implicit
obedience to caucus action. h Is
that no member shall be held as OBJ
ligated to vote for any measure which
he believes to be in ~travent OF
the constitution.
1t is believed in Washington That
the new caucus rule will be very pop
ular with the party throughout the
country, and IL Is also thought that
democratic congressional conventions
are likely to deal harshly with dem
ocratic members of the house who find
IL convenient to exhibit their indie
pendence' by remaining out of th'
~caucuses.
The new rule will undoubtedly nave
an important bearing on the silver
question. for with caucus action bind
ing on participants the Eastern dem
ocrats, all caucus devotees, VIII follow
the silver majority in opposing the pro
jected gold standard and greenbacl
retirement legislation of the new con
gress. There is. in fact, little chanc'
Of a division OF the democratic vot'
on financial questions in the Fifty
sixth congress, and the party Is al
most certain TO be aligned unanimous
ly against republican legislation.
Great Republican Losses.
As the official election returns com
to be compiled and compared the heav,
democratic gains in the Eastern state
appear more and more significant
Taking the vote on governor In thes'
states. and comparing II with the vot'
on president in 1896. the remarkably
decline in the republican strength h
these states is instantly apparent. Thu
following are the figures, given II
round numbers:
Rep. Maj. Rep. Mai