The Montgomery tribune. (Montgomery City, Mo.) 1892-1910, 1902-01-17
WASHINGTON LETTER.
From Regular Correspondent.

iDs lVVGs
The democratic "fracas," as the
caucus announced for Friday night
has been termed, did not MATERIAL
ize owing to the opportune illness
OF Representative Richardson.
After exhausting every resource in
an effort to establish harmony in
the ranks Of his hopelessly divided
party, Mr.. Richardson justified the
confidence which was reposed in
by his acknowledgements as a man
Of many resources and grew III as
the date for the causus approached
By so doing he prevented q spec
tacular exhibition Of the sharp
antagonisms of his party and the
probable development Of personal
animositics which would have
greatly added to his difficulties
rs leader Of the minority. The
Democrats say that they will surely
hold their caucus at some sub
sequent date but little credence is
placed in the statement by those
who are In a position to know.
There has developed during the
past few days, from sources which
II Is impossible to trace. n s.nti-
ment In favor Of making partizan
capital out of the Schlcy-Miles
affair with the avowcd intention
Of presenting to the public a DEM
ocratic presidential ticket which
shall contain the names of Miles
and Schlcy. Opinion differs as to
which shall be placed first. 1t
was the intention Of John Levi
Sheppard. OF Texas, to bring the
matter up In the shape Of resolu-
ton indorsing Schley at the FRI
day caucus and Mr.. Sheppard says
that. II 1t proves impossible to Sc
cure caucus of the minority to
consider all that effects democratic
policy he will at least secure one
that will adopt his idea in regard
to Schley. Mr.. Sheppard's rcsolu-
tion would pledge the democratic
members to the warmest support
of Schlcy, and n promise to vindi-
cate him, in opposition to the
majority report OF the Court OF In
quiry, whenever the democrats
shall control majority of the
House. "Poor Schlcy," remarked
q republican member who was
standing by as Mr., Shepherd ex-
planned his plan. "lf he has to
wait till then his vindication won't
even arrive In time to be COM
fort TO his great grandchildren"
The Miles candidacy Is said to
be the child OF the General himself
who thinks he secs in the rcpri-
mand of the President and the
fact that he aligned himself on the
side of Schlcy. an opportunity to
appeal to the people for support in
his aspirations. lie is not at pres
ent regarded with much favor by
the democrats but there are n large
number OF men in that party who
are ready to win with anybody
that can secure the votes and they
believe that Schlcy-Milcs COM
bination would carry the popular
vote. II they undertake, however.
to relegate Miles to second place
they are likely to find they have
very insubordinate candidate on
their hands.
So much fiction has been pub
lished In regard to the Presidents
reprimand of Miles that II seems
only fair. even at this late date, to
set the matter straight, in SO far as
it is possible. Mr.. Roosevelt did
speak with considerable severity
and in public but he did not show
any evidence of having lost his
temper and he spoke in public only
because General Miles, who was
very much excited, persisted in
talking as soon as he entered the
Presidents presence, instead OF ac-
cepting the twice repeated invita-
ion OF the President to go into the
Cabinet room where they would
have been alone.
The passage OF the Hepburn ca
nal bill in the House was in ac-
cordance with the program which
has been previously outlined by
the friends OF the canal. The vote,
3O8 to 2, is considered an extraor-
dinary demonstration of the popu-
l.