The times., 1898-12-04
His DEMOCRACY DOUBTED.
MI. AIcaqllin Scores a Pre-
teidar to leadership.
THE Dual RCLE OF BAILEY
He Voted with Republicans In Com
mittec-Reversed His Attitude ON
the Floor of the HOuse-A Pros
pectivc Effort to Elect Minority
Leader for the short Session.

Leader for the Short Session.
During the last day but one before the
assembling of Congress the opposition to
Mr. Bailey of Texas developed sufficient
strength to encourage the belief on the
part of his antagonists that in the forth
coming caucus of House Democrats the
gentleman who aspires to be minority
leader In the next Congress will be re!e-
gated to the ranks of those who once
were but are no more.
There is now strong sentiment against
Mr.. Bailey. and a determined effort will
be made to elect leader for the short
session who will be recognized and sup
ported by the Democrats. This sentiment
is expected to crystalline at the adjourned
session of the Democratic caucus, which
will be held at the Capitol next Saturday
night. and the opposition promises to
choose leader at this meeting
The opposition to Mr. Bailey developed
unexpected strength and took on a SEM
blance of unity and purpose yesterday
with the arrival, or rather the return
ihcA4i SNt" foi n, bSHSDh
McMillin, governor-elect of Tennessee.
Throughout the day there was unusual
activity among the Democratic members
of Congress who want a leader and by
night a plan OF action had been decided
upon.
AT the caucus next Saturday night Mr..
Bailey will be invited to defend his rec
ord, more particularly that part of II
which has recently and Unexpectedly
been made public property, relative to lis
vote as member of the House Commit
tee on Ways and Means on the motion of
Mr.. McMillin TO substitute for the wool
and woolens paragraph in the Dingley
bill the corresponding paragraph of the
Wilson bill. On this motion Mr.. McAIi-
lin afiirms that the gentleman VINO
aspires TO lead the minority voted with
the Republicans, and he tAicMillin) offers
to produce the records of the committee
in support of his assertion.
When seen in his hotel last night Mr.
McMillin made the following statement
reviewing the vote in question and chal-
longing the Democracy OF the voter.
which is alleged 10 be doubtful:
Il was anxious to have Mr.. Bailey on
record. In the committee meetings all
things are discussed informally unless
some member demands yea and nay
vote. On every occasion l insisted that
the roll should be called and that the
clerk should record the vote That
was done Sn eash occasion.
THE re}ord l. on file and is an open
book. Willie de Dingiey bill was being
considered in committee moved 10 amend
by substituting important clauses In the
Wilson bill, demanding on each occasion
a record Of the yeas and nays.
Reeds rnan4Bailey-voted with the Re
publicans, ever8 time, against the clauses
of the Wilson BILL He voted every time
in committee with the Republicans. Upon
the floor of the House he voted with the
Democratssagainst the DinSley bill.
The Young man did not realize that his
record in committee would ever become
public property. When l moved TO substi-
tute the Wilson bill paragraph on wool
and woolens George Steele of Indiana
Republican), looked at me and chucked
his hand under the table indicating that
l had showed the knife up to the hilt into
the vitals of the pretender to Democratic
leadership. Steele was right.
Bailey voted nay, thereby giving his
vote to discredit the principal item in the
Democratic Wilson bill. That vote is on
record and can be disclosed, and will be
by the clerk of the Committee on Ways
and Means upon application.
'If the man can claim to be a Demo-
crat upon that record his followers must
fortify the principles which they claim to
advocate. The record of Bailey, which
l compelled him to make in the Com
mittee on Ways and Means. shows that
he is a. Republican and not Democrat.
l do not see how it is possible for man
with such awTittSn record to aspire to
the leadership of the Democratic party
the party which unanimously sustained
the Wilson BILL
In the foregoing statement Mr.. Bailey
is accused in sweeping terms of not only
voting with the Republicans on the wool
and woolens paragraph, but also of giving
his support to the Republicans on all
questions of tariff with which the Ways
and Means Committee was at that time
concerned. Mr.. McMillin rests his
charges upon the records, which he says
can be produced, and Mr.. Bailey thus
far, has displayed no anxiety to vindi-
cate himself by public perusal of these
records.
In fact Mr.. Bailey seems to be at loss
for proper defense OF his conduct, and by
his attitude. it is said, he has within a
few hours lost host of supporters It
is understood that he is preparing a state
ment, which will be given out today or
tomorrow, and if he attempts to question
the correctness of Mr.. McMillin's memory
in these matters the gentleman from Ten
nessee threatens to have the records pro-
duced at the caucus next Saturday.
This caucus is properly an adjourned
session of the caucus held by the House
Democrats on June Is last, which dissem-
bled with the understanding that it was
to meet again on December 10. AS re-
marked in the opening paragraphs. a de-
termined effort will be made to elect
leader to assume during the short ses-
sion the trust now claimed by Mr.
Bailey.
At former meeting of this caucus Mr..
Bailey was febuked for his arbitrary meth
ods by the adoption of substitute for
his resolution. The substitute was Of
fered by Representative De Almond of
Missouri. and was to the effect that the
House Democrats should be bound by
caucus action, except in cases where pre-
vious instruction had been given by their
constituents. This was virtually repu-
diation of Mr.. Bailey's resolution, which
provided no exception against the bind
ing effect Of caucus action.
Representative Richardson of Tennes-
see was chairman of this caucus. and
consequently will be chairman of the ad-
journed meeting. He is a candidate for
the speakership now, as is also Mr.. De
Almond.