The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1906-02-08

Il ILL Az u II
sons response to it constituted a most
dramatic incident, and the feeling
throughout the Senate chamber was very
tense until the climax was passed.
culberson Has the Goods.
Mr. Patterson failed to recall the pro-
eeedings of the previous caucus but Mr..
Baileys colleague, Mr.. Culberson, was
prepared with a copy of those proceed
ings and when he had exhibited It Mr..
Patterson said that he would not under
take to dispute the record He was in
cllned at first to charge completely to
disparage him before his colleagues but
afterwards said that he was not so much
concerned over this apparent ineensist-
ency on his own part as he was over the
effect the springing of the matter would
have upon the main issue, which was 70
exhibit to the country the danger there Is
in caucus dctation.
Mr.. Patterson Begins.
Mr.. Patterson began with few words
of a personal nature saying that there
was nothing he disliked more than to
inject his own personality into public
investigation, but at times such a course
was necessary.
He said he had supposed that his for
mer remarks on the Santo Domingo
treaty would be passed over as inconse-
quential but the action of the democratic
caucus last Saturday had made It evident
to him that he felt directly within the
censure of the caucus. He had. he said,
made up his mind previous TO the caucus,
as 1t had thrown no new light on the
question he had not been impelled to
change his position
He said he had been called "a bolter'
and a white House democrat and that
I,-a. a for nc n
say that there had been an understand
ing between himself and the President.
and that an understanding about patron
age and the Senator's reelection had been
reached. In refutation of this charge he
said he had never made but one request
for an official appointment by the Presi=
dent and in that case 1t was refused.
The last interview he had had with the
President was a month ago he said, and
pertained to the forest reserves. In that
matter he felt that the President had
transcribed his authority and he had so
informed the President. In that case also
he had failed in his mission. There had
been an emphatic exchange of views and
a sudden termination OF the interview and
he had not since met the chief executive
except in a casual way. He confessed TO
a warm friendship to the President and
he felt that in the struggle he was MAX
ing on economic lines he deserved sup
port. 81 admire and commend him for his
brave position" he said.
Expects an Amendment.
Mr.. Patterson said that he expected to
vote for the Santo Domingo treaty but
that he had expected the treaty to be
amended Il do not object to the main
features of the treaty" he said but il
the treaty is not amended as l think
1t should be. / will take the new condi-
tion into consideration and in the end do
as | think | should"
Much of this statement was brought
out by questions from Mr.. Morgan.
Mr.. Daniel asked Mr.. Patterson if he
knew of any other senator who would
vote for the treaty. Mr.. Patterson did not
reply. Instead he referred to the charge
made that he had deserted his party and
that he was in the habit of making party
changes. He admitted that he had left
the democratic party in 1892 rather than
support Mr.. Cleveland. In this connection
he referred to Mr.. Tillman's cousin in his
own state, and Mr. Tillman interrupted
with the remark that "he had eaten as
much crow in submitting TO party dicta-
ton as any man living
Did you like it, asked Mr.. Spooner,
and Mr. Tillman replied
No, but l took it,
The depression caused general laugh
which continued as Mr., Patterson re-
marked that he too. had eaten some
crow less tough than that taken by Mr..
Tillman.
Expects to Bolt Again.
Mr.. Patterson said he had bolted from
party nominations at home and expected
to do so again. Discussing the democratic
caucus binding resolution, he asked:
us 1t persuasive or coercive." and an
swerng his own inquiry, he declared it
to be cruel. at may be refined" he went
on but 1t Is cruel. 1t strips senators of
every element of independence and is
liable to force them to disgrace their high
offices or into oblivion"
He declared that such a course brought
the Senate down to the level of an ordi
nary political meeting. He had thought
that in public office men were more i'm
portant than platforms. He had thought
that the democratic party might learn val
liable lessons from the republican party
in dealing with the membership of the
party and he specially commended that
party for not having whole states bound
and gagged by the unit rule in national
conventions"
"The democratic party has been out of
power for many years. VIII my democrat
lie friends concede that its arbitrary
methods are responsible for that fact?'
Mr.. Patterson declared that the doc
trine that even the states have a right
to direct the votes of their senators has
been abandoned. He endorsed the change
of view. holding that the freedom of sem
ators could not otherwise be maintained.
He declared that the caucus rule did not
provide for the conscience of the senator
and said that a senator should be true
to his own convictions constituting himself
a monitor of which he should stand In
awe. He appealed for relief from the
cruelty and injustice and indefensible
character of the caucus action"
Reached Through Fear.
He said that the caucus was equivalent
to declaring that senator's were dishonest
and that senators who could not be Sc
cured through reason should be reached
through fear. He said that a senator who
stands in fear of being weakened at the
polls because of having violated caucus
action has had his moral forces weak
ened. Deploring the use of such terms
as white House democrats and in
surgent republicans when in fact it was
shown, he repeated, that it was the duty
of every senator, regardless of party, to
vote his solemn convictions.
As to the qualifications that senator
should be 30 years of age, Mr.. Patterson
quoted Judge Story that thirty years
was not too long for maturity and said
that tried integrity" was the qualitiea-
ton He spoke of 'taunts'' having passed
back and forth across the chamber, as to
coerciye measures and also spoke of sum-
monses of senators to the White House.
81 don't hesitate to say that the sem
ator or member who Surrenders his own
conviction In the hope of patronage and
that the president who promises 1t. are TO