The age-herald., 1902-01-25
Platform of Party Promulgated at Kansas CiB is COn-
 sideTed Binding
SPIRITED DEBATE IN
 [ UCUS AT WASHINGTON
Minority Resolution by Mir. Henry Brought on Arugment and 1t Was
 Defeated-Richardso of Ten
 nessee Speaks for Harmony.

Washington January 24-The Demo- cratic members of the house of represen- tatives met in caucus in the hall of the a short but spirited contest adopted res- olutions declaring that they were without power to promulgate a platform of princi- ples for the party, owing to the binding characted of the party platform hereto fore regularly made at a national conven- ton.
 The contest occurred over a sub-reso- lution proposed by Representative Hen ry of Texas, more specifically declaring it to be the duty of every Democratic representative to adhere to the national democratic platform until another -em- ocratic convention adopts a new plat form
 The caucus has been the outgrowth of animated discussion among Democratic members ever since the present session of Congress began, the chief issue being as to the extent to which the Kansas City platform should be reaffrmed or should be superseded by a new declara- ton of policy. The plan of an entirely new declaration took form early in the session in resolutions by Representative Mcclellan of New York setting forth numerous blanks, but emitting the finan- cial declarations of the Kansas City plat form.
 MT. Fitzgerald. of New York. also pro- posed resolution declaring against any interference with the existing standard of values. On the other hand Represen- tative Ball of Texas proposed a specific reaffirmation of the Kansas City plat form. These and several other resolu- toins of policy were referred to a special committee of twelve leading Democratic members headed by Representative Rich ardson of Tennessee, the Democratic floor leader. It was to receive the report of this committee that the caucus of to- night was held.
 Large Attendance. The interest taken was shown in the large attefidancet 13s Democrats out of the total of 15S being present. Represent tative Hay of Virginia occupied the chair and by his rulings endeavored to allay the friction which has occurred at times dur ing the discussions.
 MT. Richardson presented the majority report, concnrred in by all of the mem- bers of the special committee except MT. Henry. It recited the work of the com mittee and closed with the following re- commendation:
 "We are of opinion that as the repre- sentatives of our various constituencies and as members of the caucus made up of such representatives, we have no pow CT or authority to construct or promul- gate a platform of principles for our party; that we can not increase or mini mize the binding effect of platforms of the party heretofore regularly made and adopted by the people in convention as- sembled for that purpose
 That in the House of which we are members, we should vigorously and az excessively battle for Democratic prnci- ples and with equal vigor and aggres- siveness we should oppose everything principles and should meet each question as 1t arises with full confidence and a solid and undivided front.
 The minority report of MT. Henry of Texas proposed the following declaration in place of the Mcclellan and Fitzgerald resolutions heretofore referred to:
 "It is not within the province of a Democratic caucus to promulgate or re- verse Democratic platform, 1t it Is the duty of every Democratic Represen- tative to adhere to the national Demo- cratic platform until the succeeding con- vention adopts another platform.
 MT. Henry also proposed that the cau- GUS action should govern every represen- tative when the same accorded with the declarations of the last national platform.
 Henry's Motion Voted Down.
 The vote was taken first on MT. Henrys minority proposition, and it was defeated by vote of F to 92
 The majority declaration was then adopted without dissent.
 Before the vote was taken several short speeches were made on the two proposi- tions. MT. Richardson spoke on the de- sirability of getting together and of har- monizing differences. This was the only speech for the majority proposition. and 1t was deemed desirable to avoid long dis cussion Messrs Wheeler of Kentucky and Burleson and Henry of Texas sup ported the minority plan, urging that the Kansas City platform should be specific ally reaffirmed as the policy of the party until the next platform was made. The debate lasted less than an hour.
 The Fitzgerald, Mcclellan and other resolutions were laid on the table, thus leaving the majority declaration as the unanimous sense of the Democratic mem bers of the House.
 The caucus also adopted the following: Resolved, That the territories of Ari- zona. Oklahoma and New Mexico are en- titled to statehood and should be ad- mitted to the Union on equal footing with the balance of the state and we pledge the support of the Democrats in the House of Representatives to such a bill."