The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-01-05
QUAY MUST PROVE INNOCENCE.
CAUCUS AnSENTEES ISSUE AN AD-
DRESS TO THE PEOPLE.

Prompted by What They Believe the
Best Interests of Their Party and
State-HOId Quay Responsible for
neIaying His Trial-His Election
Might Cast. Stigma UpOn the
State-His Opponents Believe They
Are Sustained by the People.
Harrisburg, Pa, Jan. 4.-The Republican
senator's and members who signed the
pledge not to take part in last nights SEN
atorial caucus, organized this morning al
the Commonwealth Hotel to keep up the
fight against Senator Quay until after
the Supreme Court has disposed of the
Peoples Bank conspiracy cases. The meet
ing was attended by nearly an the signers
and two others who did not sign, but
who kept away from the caucus.
Senator Finn said there was no neces-
sity for holding a senatorial caucus last
night, and that SO long as those who
stayed away stood together, there could
be no election of a United States senator.
What he wanted was more light on the
charges pending against Senator Quay, to
ascertain whether he is proper person to
be elected to the United States Senate. Mr..
Finn also said that he interpreted the
pledge binding the independents to keep
out of the caucus to mean that they would
not vote for Mr. Quay until the Supreme
Court has disposed of the conspiracy case,
and that if the senator was in no better
position after its action than he as now,
they cannot vote for his reelection.
Senator-elect David Martin of Philadel-
phia, who will be qualified Jan. II, when
the House and Senate will vote for sena-
tor, concurred in what Senator Finn had
said. This was his Interpretation of the
pledge, and he would stand upon this plat
form.
VIII Elect IA Republican.
Senators Finn and Weller of Bedford
and Representative Coray of Luzerne,
Savage Of Philadelphia, Moore of Butler
and Young, were appointed a committee
to take charge of the work of the organi-
zation. The committee issued the follow
ing address this evening;
ITO the Republicans of Pennsylvania:
We the undersigned committee appointed
by, and representing the absentees of the
alleged Republican caucus, desiring that
our fellow Republicans throughout the
state should understand clearly the
motives which animate us in our present
position with reference to the United
States senatorship, hereby briefly set forth
our reasons:
In our present attitude we are prompt
ed by what we believe to be the best in
terest of our party and state. We believe
that a Republican senator should and will
be elected, and that no combination of
circumstances can prevent it. We believe
that the unquestioned sentiment of the
Republicans of the commonwealth is
against taking action that might result
in the election of a person as United
States senator who is charged with crime,
before his innocence is established in a
court of justice and that the failure to
determine that question prior to this time
is due to the act of the alleged caucus
nominee in delaying trial, and not to any
act of ours.
Believe They Are Sustained.
eve feel that in justice to the public
and our own sense of self-respect and duty.
we are justified in refusing to be commit
ted to any proposition that might cast a
stigma upon our commonwealth, and our
integrity as citizens and legislators.
Feeling that we are sustained in our
position by the unbiased sentiment of the
state, we deem it unwise to vote for any
person for United States senator who is
duly charged with crime, so long as those
charges remain undetermined We can
not Justify ourselves for voting for any
person for Office who is indicted for Grim
inaI offenses, and who simply alleges that
he is the victim Of a political conspiracy.
We believe that the public as well as our
selves. is not interested in the motives of
the persons making the charges, but
rather in the truth or falsity of these
charges
"Entertaining these views, wei submit
our action unprejudiced to the judgment
of our fellow citizens.