The Savannah morning news., 1901-12-11

Senator McLaurin gained nothing by
his speech in the Senate on Monday, in
! which he charged, virtually, that the
| Democratic senators had agreed to
shut him out Of their caucus, and not
name him for a place on any commit
tee because he had acted in accordance
with his convictions on certain ques-
tions which had been before the Sen
ate, and not in harmony with his par
ty associates. He did not make out a
very good case for himself. He admit
ted that he had not attended the Dem
ocratic caucus for over two years, for
the reason that he thought it would
be embarrassing to other members of
the caucus, and that he had said to
the chairman of the caucus that it
would be pleasanter for him not to be
invited to attend.
He now wants to attend the caucus,
for the reason, no doubt, that if he
should not be invited to do so his op-
ponents, in the senatorial contest soon
to be inaugurated in his state, would
be justified in saying that in the opin-
ion of the Democratic senators he was
not a Democrat.
The plea that he made for admission
to the caucus was not a strong one.
He said that the late Samuel ]. Ran
dall's Democracy was never questioned,
though he persistently voted with the
Republicans on the tariff question. He
could not see therefore why he should
be deprived of his standing as a Dem
ocrat because he voted with the Re-
publicans on Philippine questions.
Apparently Senator McLaurin forgot
to state that Mr.. Randall never alb
scented himself from the caucuses of
his party and never said to the caucus
chairman that his presence might be
embarrassing to the members of the
caucus. In other words. he never took
the position that he was no longer in
harmony with his party associates.
Senator McLaurin virtually severed
his relations with the senatorial eau
Gus of his party, and his Democratic
associates in the Senate are not to
be blamed for regarding his leave TAX
ing as final. 1t is not for them to be
at the beck and call of his moods and
notions.
We do not understand why he opened
up the matter in the Senate unless he
hoped to gain sympathy from Repub-
lcan senators or from the people of
his state. 1t is impossible to say of
Nrrha nffaqr hiG a YstrC will
have on his constituents, but they did
not, apparently, make friends for him
on the Republican side of the SEN
ate. Senator HoAr, Chairman of the
Judiciary Committee, utilized the. op-
portunity to say that there was a ques-
ton whether either of the South Car
olina senators was entitled to a seat
in the Senate, both having resigned.
They had of course withdrawn their
designations. but there was a precedent
in which it was held that such resig-
nations could not be withdrawn.
| 1t is evident that Senator McLaurir
| did not expect such turn to be given
| to his attack on the Democratic SEN
| ators for shutting him out of theil
caucus, and, hence. had nothing to say
when Senator Tillman proposed thaf
they should repeat the resignation act
Unless the Republicans take him VI
Senator McLaurin will have rather
lonely time in the Senate. Still, the
fact that he is not invited into the
Democratic caucus may not do him q
! great deal of harm in his state. Those
who approve his political course viii
doubtless stand by him, but it is doubt.
full If they constitute a very large mi
nority of South Cardinals voters.