The record-union., 1899-02-16
Trailing Factions Confer, But Fail
to Agree.
Governors Residence and Folsom Highway
Bills to Third neutrality-suspicious. Bill
in Committee.

The center or attraction III the Send-
forial contest yesterday was the secret
bobtail caucus of members voting for
candidates other than Burns and Grant.
These gentlemen, to the NUMBER OIL
aventy-three. met at o'clock yester-
day afternoon in a room on the thlro
floor of the Capitol. Several newspaper
men were present, supposing that an
open council of statesmen was to be
held. but they were disappointed 1t
was to be a secret caucus and they
were compelled to retire and the door
was closed to all outsiders.
Those present at the caucus were
Messrs. Lardner, Brown, Valentine
Miller of Los Angeles. Gillette, Belshaw,
Muenter, Knowland, Currier, Mellck'
Clough, Davis, Conrey, Dickinson, Mer-
sritt. Simpson, Rowell, Maggard and
Smith.
AS Senator Simpson had presided at
two or three meetings Of Senators vot-
ing for low numbered candidates ne
was allowed by common consent to- pre-
side over the caucus. There was
general expression of opinion In winch
Messrs. Davis, Rowell. Taylor and
Morehouse tookthe lead. Several plans
were suggested, but each met with OPP
position. Stratton thought it would De
well, after a general expression OF
views to adjourn for day ana give
the members a chance to consult with
their candidates, as he did not feel ike
entering into any binding agreement
without pursuing that course. 1t was
explained that it was not the INTENTION
to proceed at this meeting to select
candidate. but only to determine upon
some plan by which one could be Sc
lected at another meeting. RoWeu
wanted to proceed at once and agree
to vote on candidates. Another idea
advanced was to meet every day and
select a candidate to receive the vote
of the members of the caucus in the
Joint balloting the next day, then drop
him and vote for another so that 1t
could not be said they were hololns
out for "favorite sons" Several motions
were made. but none of them received
a second.
Finally, Senator Simpson created a
sensation by declaring that the pro
ceedings were a farce They were hold
ing a. caucus and at the same time de-
nouncing caucus methods. He made
quite a speech. in which he declared
that he was a Republican and believed
in the time honored principles and Gus
toms of the party. He was for eau
Gus of all the Republican members OF
the Legislature, where every man could
have a fair show and the man who had
the highest number of votes would lie
the candidate of the party, and receive
the full vote in the joint convention.
This straightout Republican talk did
not suit his listeners, and there was
considerable grumbling, whereupon
Simpson said he was ready to resign
the Craftsmanship of the caucus, as he
was evidently not in accord with the
views of the others. His resignation
was promptly accepted, and he started
for the door, but Senator Davis inter-
cepted him and he was induced to re-
main.
Senator Gillette was then called to
the Chair, and an attempt was made to
get down to business, but it failed.
The caucus was split up into groups
of three or four in different parts Of
the room, each fighting out some bat