The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-12-01
RICHARDSON
 THE LEADER Selected to Pilot Dem
 Ocratic Graf. OTHER CANDIDATES NAMED Resolutions Introduced to
 Fight the Tariff. Fitzgerald Declares the Party Can Never Win Unless It Discards as Q Principle the Free
 Silver Heresy.
OTHER CANDIDATES NAMED

Washington, Nov 3o.-The Democratic members of the House of Representatives met in caucus in the hall of the House at Il o'clock today. I-t
 There were 1m Democrats and eight Flu sionists. Silverites and Populists in the House Of these members of the minority 12s were present, including MT. shaforth of Colorado and Mir. Newlands, Silverites. MT. Neville and Mir. Starke, Populists of Nebraska, declined to enter the caucus.
 Mr. Hay of Virginia, chairman of the Democratic caucus, presided. Without op- position the following selections were made for officers of the House, to be pre- sented at the meeting of the house next Monday:
 Speaker-Mr. Richardson of Tennessee.
 Clerk-Ex-R Representative James Kerr of Pennsylvania.
 Sergeant at Acknowledgements E. V. Brookshire of Indiana.
 Doorkeeper-Charles Edwards of Texas. and postmaster, James K. Jackson of Alabama.
 The election of Mir. Richardson as can didate for Speaker clothes him officially with the minority leadership.
 MT. Richardson briefly thanked the caucus for the honor done him and said:
 Two years ago our party friends In the House of Representatives of the FYfty-sixth Congress nominated me in caucus to receive their votes for Speaker of the House. I accepted and entered upon the duties imposed upon me by their action with what I then felt was the fullest appreciation of the responsi- biIities thereby imposed. Now, after two years of experience, the same distinqfion Is again bestowed upon me by tMs1 eau GUS. and assure you l appreciate the honor done me at this time more keenly and profoundly if possible than before. because can look at 1t as something oE an endorsement of my efforts, though they may have been feeble, to serve the party in the position in which their par tiality placed me. I know l realize mora earnestly than I did then the responst- bilities you have committed to me. My hest efforts shall be put forth to have the minority on the floor of the House acouit itself in such manner as to com mand the respect and confidence not only of our own party but of the country at large I ask and have the right to ask of each of you the fullest and heartiest co-operation and support at all times. am sure I will have it for in no other way can I have hope of success.
 'I shall not attempt here and now to discuss or lay down and principles by which we are to be governed as party. It would not be appropriate for me to do so. There is one thing. however, l will say now at the very beginning of our service because believe it Is proper that it should be said. It Is this: urge on you and each of you the surpassing impor- tance of attending the sessions Of the House. We have minority constituting of about 160 members. If every member or this opposition will attend our sessions and answer when his name is called we will make our opposition effective and oftentimes will be able to defeat our op- ponents in their effort to pass improper measures.
 T feel that have the right to ask you, and do ask you now that during the time you fill seat in the House, you will be as anxious to occupy that seat as you assured your constituents that you were desirous of occupying it before the elec- tions If We are punctual in our attend ance, although in the minority, we will be able to do much in the way of enact ing wholesome legislation and more and above that, will be able to prevent the enactment of many bad laws. The coun- try will, when the session closes, pass 
 conduct of the majority side of the house, but also of the minority side and if we have acted wisely and periodically we will place our party in the position to deserve and command decisive victory in the Congressional elections of next year and a still greater triumph in the national contest in 1904"
 The four places on the house roll al- lowed the minority will be filled by Isaac nf a mi at and James F. English of California, Fel- ton B. Bnight of Georgia and Ewing Bland son of "Silver Dick" Bland, spe- clal employees.
 The interesting portion of the caucus followed. Representative Mcclellan of New York at the direction of the Demo- cratic members of the New York dele gation. who had met just prior to the as. sembling of the caucus, offered the fol- lowing resolution as an expression of the sense of the caucus:
 Resolved, That we shall promote to the utmost of our power the removal of the oppressive restrictice and often prohi- bitory features of the existing tariff It has been truly believed to be the mother of trusts. It creates combinations of wealth. establishing practical monopolies in manufacturing and commercial indus- tries of the United States, threatens the future existence of individuals. manufac- turers and merchants and tradesmen of moderate or small means.
 That the tendency must undermine the sturdy independence of large bodies of American citizens and may we'll be deem ed the most serious menace to the moral and political welfare of the country. The time has come when the business of the country which practically enjoys no pro- lection for the reason that their products are exported and because whether or not duties be levied in their favor no compet- ing products can be profitably imported should be permitted to avail themselves of foreign markets to the fullest extent, as they cannot do under existing restric- tions. Highly protected industries should no longer be permitted to sell more cheaply to foreigners than to their own countrymen. Fit and thorough relief can be had only by amendment of the present tariff But We shall favor such reciprocity treaties as will reduce even if they