The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1900-03-21
Why the csueu. i. Necessary.

I = Nn4C4c CltAlEl lOl lA4C "a 2
United States Senator or for any other
purpose. When you find a man argu-
ing that way you may be sure that
there Is something wrong politically
with him. Men who do this sort OF
thing are the highwaymen Of politics
men who would break up a great party
if necessary, in order that they them
selves might profit by the crash. OF
course all such persons belong TO that
coterie known as ''insurgents1 and
"bolters." ("
A caucus is prime necessity OF any
political organization CT party. This
free conntry Of ours is founded upon
the great principle OF majority rule.
Once break that great principle and
you have left only anarchy. An illus
tration Of the necessity Of the caucus is
to be found in the contest in the House
OF Representatives st Washington over
the Puerto Rican bill. Il is absolutely
necessary, il the policies nf the Repub-
iican party are 10 be carried out, that
the party shall be a unit. President
Mckinley himself advocated free ex-
change of goods between the United
States and Puerto Rico. The Ways and
Means Committee, having gone over
the matter thoroughly, concluded that
free exchange would leave the island
without sufficient income. The COM
mittee, therefore, brought in bill fix
ing tariff duties at twenty-five per cent
of the present rates
There was very serious division in
the House, and for days there was fear
that the party might split, and that
enough Republicans would hold out or
join the Democrats to enact Demo
cratic measure. In this Contingency a
Republican caucus was called, and the
caucus agreed upon 8 bill making the
rate fifteen per cent. snd it was adopt
ed. But for that caucus, in the result
Of which President Mckinley acqui-
esced, a serious condition Of affairs
would now exist. Republicans who
were opposed TO any duty whatever
went with the majority Of the party
when the wishes OF that majority had
been made known.
Caucuses in Congress and in every
other legislative body in the United
States are considered essential and are
always held, but at this late day insur-
gents and bolters are travelling around
Pennsylvania with the intention of
breaking up the time-honored custom
and sowing diseord in the Republican
ranks.
When men are 10 be placed in Office
IN the various counties Of the Common
wealth primary elections are held. A
primary election is really a caucus.
Voters choose either delegates TO q con-
vention or, in some counties, directly
between candidates. When these can
didates once have been nominated they
become the candidates of the entire
party. There is no other way Of select
ing them, and when party voters refuse
to be governed by the will Of the ms
jority they become boilers. IL is just
as necessary for party eaucuses to be
held at Harrisburg when a United
States Senator is to be elected as II is
for counties 20 hold primaries or for
Congressmen to caucus over the selec-
ton Of Speaker. In the last legtsla-
tive session regular caucus Of the Re
publican members was called, and Sen
ator Quay was made the nominee. In
no other way could the wishes of the
msjority have been discovered. Ger
tain enemies Of Quay refused to con-
sent TO msjority rule, and formed bolt
ing party Of their own. rhe RESULT was
chaos 1t is now proposed by the in
surgents to set up candidates in various
districts who, while pretending to be
Republicans, will refuse to unite with
the Republican majority unless that
majority should happen TO go their
way.
Suppose that a minority Of Republi-
can members Of the House at WASH
ington bad refused to support the can
didate of the caucus, Mr.. Henderson,
for Sp. aker,
Such methods do not commend them
selves to honest men. IL candidate
takes a party nomination il is his duty
to sink his individual preference aud
abide by the majority decision. In no
other way can business be transacted.
If it were not for the caucus twenty
different Republican candidates might
he named for Senator, and in such a
state Of affairs It might well b. that the
Democrats would elect their candidate
to office. AS a matter Of fact, it is very
well known that the Democrats will
have q candidate for Senator in the
next Legislature and they viii act to-
gether, and il is also very well known
that the insurgents, when they can not
elect men OF their own way Of think
ing TO the Legislature, will undertake
to elect Democratic members. The in
surgent movement to-day is Demo-
cratic movement, and We warn the Re-
publicans of Pennsylvania, IL they lend
their aid to the nOI1ination Of candi-
dates who will not agree to act with
the majority OF the Republican party,
that they viii he giving their support
to a Democrat already picked !
out.
All Republicans have right, as have
all Democrats. 10 their own individual
opinion and preferences, but when their
party has taken 3 stand through a con-
ference known as a caucus their duty Is
to obey the voice of the majority. A
who sets his own opinion above
the opinion Of the majority of his perty
after fair and square vote
has made the majority will manifest,
becomes a mere party wreeker In
deed, he Is worse than thst, for he
seeks to overthrow the very foundation
OF government, which is majority rule.
The Republican caucus in Washing
ton fixed upon the terms Of the Puerto
Riean bill and President Mckinley,
good Republicans that he is, RETAINED
from pressing his own personal views
and gave all his influence 70 the adop-
ton Of the CAUCUS measure. Where
p-.s;Sa,t McgZinlev 1eads NJ r,>,,;r.