Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1900-03-15
Entered at the Post Office at Laporte, as
second-class mail matter.
Especial Correspondence,


Harrisburg, March 13.-There has
been considerable discussion of the
question of the propriety of the Repub-
lican organizations of the several
counties of the state insisting upon
candidates for nomination for con-
gress, the state senate and the as
sembly pledging themselves if elected
to abide by the action Of Republican
caucuses. 1t is manifest that those
who oppose such action have an ul-
terror purpose in so doing. Through
out the entire state there has not been
single Republican county committee
which has declined to adopt such a
resolution whenever it has been Of
fered. The latest county to act in this
respect was Lebanon, which on Sat
urday last, through the Republican
county committee, decided to make
every aspirant for congressional or
state legislative nominations append
his signature to pledge to abide by
the action of all Republican caucuses.
The offering of motion OF this char
acter was quite surprise to the local
insurgent Republicans. They did not
expect anything of the kind In Leb-
anon, where they thought they were
in control Of affairs political. Their
success in a previous contest in the
county made them imagine that they
would have everything their own way.
They have discovered that there has
been great change in sentiment and
that the Republicans Of Lebanon do
not propose to indorse the action of
men who, while elected as Repub-
licans. refuse to abide by the rules and
traditions of their party. They recog-
iun hot i- n vNri ma
of any political organization. The
American republic is founded upon the
principle of majority rule. With this
principle ignored all would be discord
and anarchy.
CAUCUSES IN NATIONAL POLITICS.
To preserve the integrity of the Re-
publican organization of the United
States and to sustain the Mckinley adj
ministration it was necessary to call
n caucus of the Republican members of
the house of representatives at Wash
ington last week, when the Puerto
Rican bill was under consideration.
1t was believed to be absolutely neces"
sary, if the policies of the Republican
party were to be carried out, to have
the Republicans of the house vote as
unit. There was a difference of opin-
ion, even between the president and
the ways and means committee, as TO
the best method of treatment of the
question Of tariff for Puerto Rico.
There was a very serious division in
the house and enough Republicans
We're ready to join with the Democrats
to defeat the very ends which the Nc
Kinley administration sought to OBJ
tain. Under these circumstances
Republican caucus was called, and
conclusion was reached by which
every Republican in the house voted in
accordance with the action of the
caucus. This was not an unusual ac-
tion, but time honored practice.
When General Henderson was pro-
posed for the present speakership OF
the house of representatives at Wash
ington, there was a big field of as
pirants for that honor. But when he
secured majority of the Republican
caucus all the other candidates grace
fully abided by the action of the ma
jority and he was elected without
trouble. Had the friends of the rival
candidates for the speakership followed
the example of the Flinn-Martin in
surgents in Pennsylvania politics they
would have bolted the Republican
caucus and Joined forces with the Rry-
ante Democrats Then if they could
not get one of their own number in the
speakership they would have elected
Democrat to that important place.
CaucuSeS in congress and every
other legislative body in the United
States are considered essential. and
they are invariably called in the in
terest of either the Republican or
Democratic party, as the case may be.
The caucus is recognized institu-
sion in American politics and men
who take pride in the success Of a po-
titical organization to which they be-
OF the caucus to preserve the integrity
and advance the interests of such or
ganization. If personal interests and
not the welfare of party or organiza-
tion are considered they will, of course.
take different view of the case.
Paid agents of the Finn martin in.
surgents and boilers are travelling
around Pennsylvania with the inten-
tion of breaking up this time honored
custom and sowing discord in the Re-
publican ranks.
When men are to be placed in Office
In the various counties of the common
wealth primary elections are held. A
primary election is really q caucus.
Voters choose either delegates to a
convention, or, in some counties. di
rectly between candidates. When these
candidates once have been nominated
they become the candidates of the en-
tire party. There is no other way of
selecting them, and when party voters
refuse to be governed by the will Of
the majority they become boilers. 1t
is just as necessary for party caucuses
to be held at Harrisburg when Uni
ted States senator is to be elected as
1t Is for counties to hold primaries or
for congressman to caucus over the
selection Of speaker. In the last
legislative session a regular caucus of
Republican members was called and
Senator Quay was made the nominee.
In no other way could the wishes of