The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1903-03-12
GORMAN IS BOOSTED
Democrats in Senate Make Elm
Chairman of Caucus.
CONFERS MINORITY LEADERSHIP
Held Same Position When He Retired
from Senate Four Years Ago.
Steering Committee. is <
Selected. X

A Washington special says: The
democrats Of the senate unanimously
elected Senator German, Of Maryland,
to preside over their caucus Friday.
This is a. formal selection to the nj.
nority leadership, the position which
Senator German held at the time ne
went out of the senate four years ago.
Senator German is given the confer
ence committee room which has been
occupied by Senator Jones during the
past four years. The caucus was
marked by harmony and enthusiasm.
Senator Gormapmade brief speech
in assuming the chair, and the confer
enee then proceeded to other business.
There were present twenty-eight OF
the thirty.three democratic senators.
Senator Germans nomination as
chairman was suggested by Senator
Bacon, of Georgia, and there was no
opposition to his selection. In taking
the chair he thanked the senators Tor
the honor conferred, but did not make
an extended speech. The remaining
time Of the session was devoted large
ly to the discussion Of the present sit
uation In the senate, and the necessity
for democratic harmony and unity OF
action. There was q general feeling
that the vacancies caused by the re-
tirement Of democratic senators from
committees, which have to deal with
questions before the present called
session, should be filed, and 1t was de-
cided that the designation Of the mem
bers of these committees should be
made by steering committee, to be
appointed by. the chairman OF the eau
Gus, but their selection should later
be ratiSed by the caucus. The steer
ing committee for the past congress
has numbered only seven members,
but Senator German requested that
the number should be increased to,
nine, which was the number In the
days of his previous chairmanship,
and this increase was decided upon.
The caucus placed in the hands OF
the steering committee authority to
decide for the democrats whether
there should be q general reorganizaS
tion of the senate committees, or tho
mere filling of the vacancies on these
committees which will deal with press
ing questions during the extra session.
The committee is empowered to nego-
tiate with the republican steering com.
mittee with view to entering upon Z
general reorganization, but so far as
there was no expression of opinion On
this point, it was favoi able to the
view Of leaving the question Of reor-
ganization on general lines to be de-
termined by the republicans, as they
are In power.
It is probable that they will ask that .
the places vacated By Senators Vest
and Turner, on the committee on COM
merce, shall be filed before fhe nomi-
nation Of DR.. Crum to be collector OF
the port at Charleston is taken up by
that committee. A similar demand
probably will be made in all other
cases, on which committees have
charge of nominations over which
there may be controversy. The eau
Gus was in session for almost two
hours.
Later in the day the steering com.
mittee was named. 1t consists OF Sem
ators German Of Maryland, Cockrell
of Missouri, Martin of Virginia, Bacon
Of Georgia, Dubois of Idaho, Black
burn of. Kentucky, and Tillman OF
South Carolina. The new members on
the committee are Messrs. German,
Blackburn and Tillman. i