Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1906-02-08
BAILEY PLIES LASH
Democrats in the Senate Attempt to
Discipline Mr.. Patterson,
DRAMATIC AND SENSATIONAL SCENE
Colorado Man Arraignsd as Traitor to
His Party,
Mr., PATTERSON T}lKS ON RESOLUTION
Right of Party caucus to Bind Senators is
Questioned.
Mr.. PATTERSON 1'lKs ON RESOLUTION
INCIDENT COMES IN THIS CONVECTION
He Says Hts Action is Nos
Dictated by Any Motive save
that of Duty 90 Con-
stituency.

WASHINGTON. Feb. To-day for the
| first time i'm many years the senate cham
ber was made the scene of an effort to ad-
minister party discipline to a member OF
that body and the occurrence was one OF
so many dramatic details that the many
witnesses will not soon forget Il.
Mr. Patterson was the subject of the
effort and Mr.. Bailey, to whom in the alb
sonce of Mr. German. to whom democratic
leadership is conceded was the instrument
Of his party In the incident.
The proceeding arose in connection with
the consideration of Mr. Patterson's reso-
I luton of remonstrance against caucuses
The Colorado senator today called up his
resolution Immediately after the conclusion
of tho morning business and addressed tho
senate upon II. The facts concerning the
caucus proceedings of Saturday and his
withdrawal from the caucus were fresh
| in the minds Of senators. Mr.. Patterson's
speech was in the main an elaboration of
his resolutions and he contended stoutly
for the right of senator to follow the
dictates Of his conscience rather than the
demands of his party in all matters regard
ing which the two may be in conflict
situation Becomes Tense.
1t was not until after he had concluded
that the proceedings took on an air of in
tensity and excitement Mr.. Bailey, as we'll
as most of the members of his party, had
interpreted Mr.. Patterson's resolutions as
a deliberate reflection upon the democratic
caucus, and from the moment Mr. Bailey
arose he assumed an aggressive and some
what tauntlng manner toward the Colorado
senator His speech was based upon the
theory that all senator's are under obliga-
tion to obey conscience rather than eau
Gus but that in doing so they antagonize
their party and should hold themselves
responsible to their party, but the speech
was more notable for it's arralgnment of
Mr.. Patterson for his course than for its
adherence to any line of argument. Mr..
Bailey charged the senator from Colorado
with having been a party to the addition
! to the previous caucus rule. bringing demo-
cratic senators to the two-thirds rule. This
charge and Mr.. Pattersons response to it
constituted - n,esta eranlatics ine.Gsnt, ana
the feeling throughout the senate chamber
| was very intense, Mr.. Patterson failed TO
| recall the proceedings of the previous eau
! Gus, but Mr.. Bailey's colleague. Mr.. Gull
| berson. was prepared with copy of those
/ proceedings, and when he had exhibited II
| Mr.. Patterson said that he would not un-
| dertake to dispute the record. He was in
clined at first to charge completely to dis
|
country, but afterward said that he was not
| so much concerned over this apparent In
consistency on his own part as he was
over the effect the springing of the mat
ter would have upon the main issue, which
was to exhibit to the country the danger
! there is in caucus dictation
Mr. Patterson opens Debate.
In anticipation of the spirited discussion
| OF Mr.. Patterson's resolution declaring
| against the policy of caucus dictation in
| disposing OF treaties with foreign nations
! the senate galleries were almost filled when
the senate was called to order today. Many
! arrived before the doors were opened.
Mr.. Patterson was promptly recognized
| by the chair. He began with few words
| OF a personal nature, saying there was
nothing he disliked more than to inject
his own personality into public question.
but at times such course was neces-
sary.
! lie had, he said, supposed that his former
! remarks on the Santo Domingo treaty
would be passed over as inconsequential
but the action of the democratic caucus
OF last Saturday had made It evident
| TO him that he fell directly within the
| censure of the caucus. He had. he said
! made up his mind previous to the caucus
| and as it 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
a New York paper had gone so far as TO
say that there had been an understand
| ing between himself and the president
and that understanding about patron
age and the senator's reelection had been
reached. In refutation of this charge he
| tA,t hn kol
request for an official appointment by the
! president and in that case it was refused
| The last interview he had with the presi-
dent month ago, he said, and per-
| tained to the forest reserves In that mat
| ter he felt that the president had trans
| cended his authority and he had so in
| formed the president, In that case 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 for the president and
he felt that in the struggle he was making
on economic lines he deserved support
81 admire and commend him for his
brave position" he said.
Expects Treaty To he Amended.
| Mr. Patterson said that he expected 10
| vote for the Santo Domingo treaty but
that he expected the treaty to he amended.
| II do not object TO the main features Of
the treaty" he said, but If the treaty
is not amended as 1 think 1t should be
/ will take the new condition into con-
sideration and i'm the end do as | think
should.
Much of this statement was brought out
by questions from Mr.. Morgan.
1 NJ nauieI SIX Mr.. he
| knew OF any other senator who would vote
! for the treaty, but Mr.. Patterson did not
reply. Instead he referred 90 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 Nj. Cleveland In This connection
ne referred 10 Mr.. Tillrnan's course in hts
own state. and Mr.. Tillmsn interrupted