The news & observer., 1901-12-10

| and had it not been for the re-opening
of hostilities in the Philippines he would
have deferred to the opinion of his col
| leagues. But he declared the dictates
| of reason and conscience should not be
| stiied by the party lash" With bitter
| words Mr.. McLaurin then proceeded TO
| excoriate the new leaders Of the Democ-
racy who, he said, had guided the party
| through its destruction during the last
| six years and who were trying to cruclty
| those who would seek to draw the Demo-
| cratic party back to it's old allegiance.
| He was not one of those who wished 10
! use the name of Democracy for shroud
| in which to bury the principles OF the
| old party
That party, he declared, had always
been triumphant except when the sec
| tional issue was raised. He still pro-
nosed he said, TO vote in his judgment
| for what he believed to be along the
lines of Democratic principles, but he
did not propose to place himself against
proposition which he believed to be for
| the best interests of the people simply
| because it was advocated by Repuo1-
! cans.
In conclusion, Mr.. McLaurin said he
|
own party nor to be forced into affilia-
/, tion with the party with which he did
not care to ally himself, and that on
/ great public questions he would act ac-
cording to the dictates of his own con-
science and the best judgment
| When Mr.. McLaurin took his seat Mr.
Jones (Ark.) took the floor to make a
statement Some of the statements
made bv Mr.. McLaurin, Mr.. Jones said,
he considered a reflection upon himself,
and he desredto offer statement con-
cerning the incident to which Mr.. Nc
Laurin had referred. At the extra ses-
sion of the Senate last spring he had
been asked by the caucus officer for the
list of Senators who were to be sum-
monel to a caucus, and Mr.. McLaurin S
name being mentioned he (Jones) had
said he would himself see the Senator
from South Carolina l met him in
the cloak ROOM said Mr.. Jones, "and
recalling the fact that he had not at
tended a Democratic caucus for more
than two years, l asked him what his
status was. He replied that MS rela-
tions with the party were such that he
thought it would be embarrassing for
him to enter the Democratic caucus. l
| then said to him:
''You do not wish to be invited them"
lAnd he replied. Certainly
/ "As to the charge of ulterior motive
on my part" continued Senator Jones,
Il am content to treat it with the con
tempt it deserves. 1t is a notorious
fact which every one seems tc under
stand except the Senator from South
Carolina that there has been no Demo-
cratic caucus a t this session OF Cen
gress. I have no hesitancy, however,
| in saying that in a recent conversation
with a leading member on the other side,
l said to him that | did not think the
Democratic caucus could undertake to
provide committee assignments for the
Senator from South Carolina"
Mr.. Tillman (S. CO. was on his feet
| when Mr.. Jones concluded In his char
acteristic way he announced that while
his name had not been mentioned, he
realized that he was the cause of it ali.
He sid he would not at this time make
an extended reply. Briefly then, he re-
viewed the controversy between himself
/ and Senator McLaurin, whicn led 20 a
Joint tender of their designations to
the Governor of South CAROLINA last
spring, and told of the Governors sug-
gestion that the designations be with
drawn. Mr. Tillman said he contended
that the Governor was simply "a box
into which we had put letters for the
Legislature, and that they could not
undo their act, but that Mr.. McLaurin
had hastened to withdraw his letter Mr..
Tillman said he had examined The
record and of about 200 cases in the
history of the Government where SEN
ators had resigned, Mr.. McLaurin en-
joyed the enviable distinction Of being
the only one who had withdrawn his
resignation after offering it. AS to Mr.
McLaurin's charge of conspiracy to hui
initiate him by barring him from the
Democratic caucus, Mr.. Tillman called
attention to the fact that he had not
been in Washington during the extra
session of the Senate last spring. '"rhis
conspiracy he said, sis dream con-
jured upon by him. 1t is the creation oi
his own BRAIN
In conclusion, Mr.. Tillman, with a
sweep of his arm, adjured his Demo
cratic colleagues not to fret" about the
charge that they were conspirng 10 dis
credit Mr. McLaurin at home because
his crowd was demoralized cowed and
whipped"
Mr.. McLaurin made no reply to Mr.
Tillman, but he arose for a moment to
reply Senator Jones to say that ne
did not desire that there should be any
thing personal in his charge that there
had been an ulterior purpose" in any
thing he had done. II thoueht I was
justified in saying what / did," said he
Il accept his disclaimer"
Il disclaim nothing" reiorted Tfr
Jones, without rising from his seat. Il
simply contradicted."
Il thank the Senator for his courtesy, "
observed Mr.. McLaurin, bowing with
moe difference, as he took his seat.
Mr.. Hoar (Mass,), addressed himself to
the legality of the designations, which
the South Carolina Senator's had sent to
the Governor of their State He declared
that the resignation of legislative Of
| flee vacates the offices at once, anu that
| he doubted whether such designations
coald be withdrawn He said that Speak
er Blaine had SO held upon one occasion
in the House contrary to the English
notion that a legislative office cannot
| be resigned. He said that a man scodid
not be kept in office against his will and
raised laugh by observing THAI in his