The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1902-01-28


hall of tho llousc at S O'clock this
evening, aud, aftor short, but spir.
it"d contest, adopted resolutions de-
clarIng that they worc without power
to promnlgate n platform Of princi-
pies for the party, owing to tho bind
ing character Of the party platform
heretofore regularly mnin at a ma
tlona1 convention.
Ih" cancus was the outgrowth of
animated discussion among Demo-
cratic IN 'mbora over since Che pres
"nt session Of Congress- began, the
chief issue being ~ to the oxtcnt To
which tn" kans"s city platform
sh 'uld bo rcnilirmrd or should he
superseded by Il new declaration OF
policy. The plan Of an entirely new
d"claratiom took form curly in tn"
session in resolutions by Rrprreonta
tiv" Mcclellan, OF New York, setting
forth numerous plauks, hut emitting
| tn" financial declarations oi the Kan.
sas City platform. MIR. Fitzgerald,
of New York, also proposed rrso-
| luton, declaring against intcrfrr, nee
with the present standard Of values.
On the other hand, Representative
Ball, Of Texas, proposed specific
reatlirmnt,on Of the Kansas City plat
form. These and several other rrso
lntions of policy were referred to Il
special committee Of twelve loading
| Democratic members, headed by
| Representative Richardson, Of Ten
nossce, the Democratic floor lcuurr.
1t was to receive .he report Of this,
committee that the caucus of tonight
was hold.
The interest taken was shown i'm
the large attendance, l39 Democrats
ont of the total of 1913 being present.
Representative Hay. Of Virginia, oc
cnpied tho chair and Ivy his rulings
ondrnvorod to al)ay 'he friction
which has occurred at times during
the discussions Mr. Richardson pre-
sontod the majority report, concurred
in by all Of the membeas Of the $40
cial committee, except Mr.. Henry. 1t
recited the work Of tho committee
and closed with tho following recon
mendation:
awe are of opinion that as the re-
prosontativea Of our various conati,
tuancios, and us members of tho eau
Gus, made up of such Representations,
we havo no power or authority to
construct or promulgato II platform
of principles for our party; that we
cannot increase or minimize tho bind
ing effect Of platforms Of tho party
heretofore regularly made, and
adopted by the people in convention
assembled for that purpose.
"I hat in the House, Of which we
are members, we should vigorously
and nggressively battle for Demo
cratic principles and with equal vigor
and aggressiveness we should oppose
everything contrary, in snbstance or
method, to those principles and
should meet each question M it. arises
wi,D Il full conforence and solid
and undivided 'front.'"
The minority report Of Mr.. Henry,
of Texas, proposed the following do.
| claration in place Of tho Mcclellan
and Fitzgerald resolutions, heretofore
referred to.
"It il not within tho province of a
Democratic caucus to rromulgat or
reverse n Democratic platform, bnt
it is the duty of every Democratic
Representative to adhere to the Ma.
tional Democratic platform until the
snccoeding convention adopts an
other platform"
Mr.. Henry also proposed that the
caucus action should govern every
representative when tho Same &C
corded with tho declaration of tho
last national platform.
The vote was taken first on Mr.
Henry's minority propersitions, ant
they were defeated by vote Of II tt
1872. The majority declaration wa
thon adopted without dissent.
Before the vote was taken severa