The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1901-12-06
M'LAURIN'S STATUS
CAUSES SOME CONFUSION IN WASH
INGTON.
DEMOCRATS TO Reject HIM.
MAY BE LEFT OUT IN COLD BE
BOTH PARTIES.

VIII Probably Affiliate With Repub-
ucan Party-Republican Have a
similar Case With Senator We'll
IinEtOn of AInryIand-POpuIiSt or
SiIverite May Be Put on Demo-
cratic steering COmmittee-Sena-
tor Clay to Dine With President
Tonight.
Washington, Dec. 5-Senator Nc
Iaurins status in South Carolina pol
itics is we'll understood at home, but
there is some confusion in the Senate
as to which party he shall be counted
with in the new assignments of COM
inittees. The Republicans held a eau
Gus this afternoon to consider the sub
iact of committee assignments, and to
provide committees for the sixteen
new senators who have recently be-
come members of that body.
There is an unwritten rule in the
Senate by which Steering Commit
tees of the two leading party organ
izations agree upon appropriate COM
mttee assignments, and in turn the
Senate ratifies these selections. I'm
der this rule each party has a voice
in deciding how the majority and mi
nority is to be represented on the va
rious committees.
During the last session Of Congress,
Senator McLaurin, differed with his
Democratics colleagues on nearly all
of the greatest questions of the policy
growing out of the Spanish-American
war, and the ship-subsidy bill. At
their last caucus he declined to be
present, stating that as he differed en-
tirely with the Democratic senators on
those questions, he did not feel at lib
erty to confer with them on party
lines until their differences could be
reconciled.
In the meantime, it appears that
Senator McLaurin. has drifted further
away from his party associates, and
his recent speeches in Atlanta and at
the annual banquet of the New York
Chamber of Commerce were generally
regarded as evidence that he intends
hereafter to affiliate with the Repub-
ican party.
The Republican senators have called
upon the Democrats to make their
committee recommendations, in ac-
cordance with the usual custom. and
the latter will ignore Senator McLau-
rim entirely and leave him to the ten
der n1ercies of the Republicans. SEN
ator McLaurtn, when interviewed on
the subject to-day, said he still regards
himself as Democrat, and he will
not decide the caucus question until
he is officially notified that the Demo-
Gratis of the Senate are to hold meet
ing. He will then determine whether
or not he will attend the caucus.
Prominent Democratic senator's. in
Guiding his colleague Senator Tillman,
declare Senator McLaurin has taken
himself out of the Democratic party by
his actions and public utterances, and
that therefore, he will not be invited to
attend the Democratic caucus.
Republicans Have a Case, Too.
It is an interesting situation which
confronts the two parties, for the Re
publcans have 4. similar charge upon
their hands in the case of Senator We'll
lngton of Maryland, who refuses to
caucus with the members of the ma
1ority, because of his radical differ
ences with the administration during
the last campaign.
The Democrats are to hold a caucus
tomorrow to consider the subject of
committees, also to select another mem
~ Oi ti0H STEERING committee, TO
MI vacancy caused by the retirement
Of Senator .Turley of Tennessee. The
committee as it now stands is composed
OF the following Democrats: Jones, of
Arkansas; Bacon of Georgia; Cockrell,
of Missouri; Martin of Virginia; Raw
Ilngs of Utah; and Money of MISSISSIPPI
pi.
Under the new dispensation, nine
former Republicans, silverites and Pop
ulists, have come into the Democratic
camp IN tie Senate and the question
is under consideration of taking one Of
the new recruits into the steering
committee" In this connection, the
names of Senators Teller of Colorado
and Dubois of Idaho, Turner of Wash
inston, are mentioned The impress
sion prevails that one of these sena-
tors will be chosen.