The record-union., 1899-03-04
Burns People Sign and Deliver
Their Uitinnatun.
Caucus or No acknowledgements Claims
County Government Bill Anaended-Folsom
Highway Bill Passed

About the only item of interest con-
nected with the Senatorial contest yes
terday was the ultimatum signed by
the twenty-seven members who are fol-
lowing the fortune Of Colonel Burns.
The ultimatum, as given to the press.
ds a clear statement of the position of
the Burns people, and the full text fol-
lows.
When the result of the election held
in 1898 was ascertained it was found
that 50 Republican members OF the
Legislature out of total membership
of 120 had been elected. When the
Legislature convened, January z, 1879.
it became it's highest duty to elect
United States Senator to succeed Hon.
Stephen M. White, whose term expires
March 4, 1899. Upon the Republican
members, numbering twenty -four more
than a majority, rested the solemn OBJ
legation to select a Senator who would
represent the Republican party and be
a firm supporter of our Republican
President and his administration.
For over eight weeks that obligation
has been unperformed, that duty neg
lected.
The blame rests upon the Republican
majority. and must be borne by them,
although the consequences of this I'M
fulfilled duty will fall upon the Repub-
lican party at large. That the MEM
bers Of our party may understand our
position and put the condemnation on
the properspersons, we issue this state
ment:
We have supported candidate, Hon.
Daniel M. Burns. who, in our judgment,
possessedsthe necessary qualifications to
make good official and properly rep
resent our State.
= Other Republican legislators, for rea-
Sons sufficient for their judgment, have
supported other persons equally fit for
the position. For eight weeks the con-
test has pcontinued, and now, with but,
at best, a few days remaining of the
session, we are no nearer, apparently,
a conclusion than at the beginning.
Why is this so? The answer is plain.
Because the time-honored custom of all
parties of holding q caucus to select q
candidate has been abandoned. This
country has a representative Govern
ment; all selections Of officials are de-
cided by vote of the persons entitled
to act thereon, and the selection of a
majority, no matter how small numer-
ieally, becomes by the force of law the
selection of all. This law Of the land
has become by usage the law of polit-
1cal parties. 1t is essential to the per-
petuity of our free institutions that this
law should continue to govern the ma
tions for without it anarchy would
reign, petty prdncipalities would usurp
the place of sovereign States, and the
Federal Union become meaningless
phrase. It is absolutely necessary to
the preservation of a political party
that this law should govern the delib-
erations of it's members, for without it
party becomes mere mob, without
cohesive powers-a rope of sand, only
powerful to injure itself and it's friends
when sought to be used to benefit the
party or advance its principles. From
the commencement of this Senatorial
struggle to the present hour our candi-
date and ourselves have consinuously
asked for a caucus of the Republican
members Of the Legislature: THAT
CAUCUS TO BE ONE WHERE NO
SECRET BALLOT WOULD BE
USED: THAT CAUCUS TO CONSIST
OF NOT LESS THAN SIXTY MEN,
BEERS. A MAJORITY OF THE LEG
1SLATURE, AND A MAJORITY TO
DECIDE NOW, AS IN THE PAST,
WHO SHOULD BE THE CHOICE OF
OUR PARTY FOR UNITED STATES
SENATOR
Without good reason our respectful
requests for a caucus have been re-
l. 10 T.
denied. The, result is apparent to ALL
no Senator has been elected, and it
may be that mo Senator will be elected
If none is elected at this session the
election Of 1900 will have this ex-
traneous issue forced into it; the best
fruit of our victory of 1898 will be
turned to dust in our grasp, and the
Democratic party will be given another
opportunity to secure Senator lost
by them in fair ballot.
History teaches US that the result of
political contests can never be ac-
curately foretold, and that victories in
elections in California frequently
change with their frequent recurrence
The loss to our party Of Senator for
two years will be incalculable, injuring
us daily in new places and by creating
unnecessary antagonisms in our organ
lzation, weakening our lines and disor-
ganizing our forces.
California will only be half repre-
scented for two years in the United
States Senate. a result unpleasant to
contemplate and most disastrous in its
effects The varied interests OF our
loved commonwealth need the fostering
care of the National Government, and
with only half delegation they VIII
suffer without fault on the part Of our
one Senator
The honored head of our party
President Neutrality-suspicious. admins
tration merits and receives our hearty
approval. will be deprived of one sup
porter whose vote will be needed at
the regular sessions of Congress, and
particularly needed if an extra session
is called.
For these, amongst other reasons, we
have persistently called upon our fell
low Republican members of the Legis