The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1902-04-18
THREAT IN THE
GUISE OF A BILL
Crumpacker Resolution Con-
stantIy Held Over Democrats.
EXPOSED IN THE CAUCUS
OFFER MADE BY REPUBLICAN
TO KILL THE MEASURE.

u1ASHINGTON, April 1.-THE DEM
Nv ocrats Of the house, at d caucus
held tonight, by a very large
majority, estimated at to /. adopted
the following resolution, introduced By
Mr.. Swanson OF Virginia:
Resolved, That we favor the remov-
al of the differential on refined sugar.
both from Cuba ana elsewhere. and
believe that such amendments are
properly in order, and we insist that it
is the duty of all Democrats 10 vote
whenever opportunity is given 10 have
these amendments added to the pend
ing bill providing for Cuban reciproc-
ity. We are opposed to the adoption
Of the previous question when the bill
is reported to the house, unless II shall
have been properly amended in COM
mittee of the whole, as this will pre-
vent an opportunity for just and proper
amendment with recorded votes on the
same.
Resolved, further. That the action
Of this caucus is binding"
The caucus was rather turbulent dur
ing the early part of the evening, but
toward the close the differences dis
appeared and it broke up amid evil
dences of harmony and good feeling.
The action taken tonight binds the
Democrats to vote TO abolish the diff
ferentiaI on refined sugar and against
the previous question,
OFFER of Compromise.
Ninety-four Democrats attended. Mr.
Underwood of Alabama, who got the
floor Immediately after the meeting
was called to order, threw bombsheI
into the caucus by announcing that
overtures had come to him from the
Republican side by which il was TO be
agreed that the Republican leaders
would abandon the Crumpacker reso-
luton to investigate the southern cleo
tons law II the delegation from the
states concerned North Carolina,
South Carolina. Alabama, Mississippi,
Louisiana and Virginia) would aid the
majority to close debate and would
vote against the appeals which viii be
taken from the decisions of the chair
when the motions to open up the bill
to general amendment are offered Mr..
Underwood declined to give the name
of the Republican from whom these
assurances regarding the abandonment
of the Crumpacker resolution came,
and although arguing that it was to
the interest of the states involved to
accept the offer made, he stated that
the agreement had not been positively
accepted, and for himself he agreed
to abide by the decision of the caucus.
The Democratic vote on Wednesday
to close debate came principally from
the states mentioned above.
Not Made in Good Faith.
To the Swanson resolution Mr.. VIII
liams of Mississippi offered substi-
tute to bind the Democrats to vote for
all propositions involving a reduction
of the tariff. but tc leave every Demo
crat free to vote his convictions upon
questions of parliamentary procedure.
Mr.. Williams maintained that under
the circumstances If would be to the
/ interest of the Democrats in the states
whose representations were threatened
] by the Crumpacker resolution TO abide
/ by the understanding reached. During
! the heated debate that followed, Mr.
/ Burieson Of Texas asked Mr.. Under
wood If the Republican leaders had not
/ silenced Mr.. Crumpacker and his
/ friends on the Republican side who
/ were opposed to the reciprocity bill By
agreeing to report the CTumpackeI
/ resolution, and if they were not now
/ trying to create a detection on the
/ Democratic side by offering to kill the
| resolution. Mr. Bankhead of Alabama
lsided with Mr.. Underwood, and Mr.
! Williams and Mr.. Cooper of Texas and
! Mr.. Brazeale of Louisiana with Mr.
/ Swanson.
/ The two latter strongly urged theii
| colleagues to vote to abolish the diff
] ferential on refined sugar IN tht
! course of the debate which followed il
I developed that the Williams resolution
+ was interpreted to constitute an in
struction to the Democrats to vote fol
/ the bin when the final vote va.
reached. Both Mr. Bankhead of Ala
! bama and Mr. Williams Of Mississippi
| confirmed the terms Of the proposition
:, made to Mr. Underwood by the Re
publicans. Mr. Williams argued tha'
! Il should be accepted. not so much be-
cause of the threat of reducing south
/ ern representation as to prevent thu
opening of the race question IN th'
south. Mr.. DearmOnd Of Missouri ahC
J. r. Williams Of Illinois supported tn
/ Swanson resolution in forcible speeches
BY a very large majority the Swan
son resolution was adopted and also 1
resolution making the action Of thu
caucus binding upon ali Democrats II
the house.