The Montgomery advertiser., 1906-02-04
The Democratic Senators
 Hold a Caucus.
THE SANT0 DOMINGO TREATY
Determined Effort to Prevent Its
 Ratification.
Patterson Leaves the Meeting-Not Known whether All Members of the Minority VIII Consider
 Themselves as Round.

Senators perfected today what they De- lieved to be a compact organization to defeat the Santo Domingo treaty and place the minority in position to com pei a strict party vote on other dues- tions likely to rise during the present session.
 Two resolutions were adopted at a caucus continuing five hours, which the Democrats assert not only will dispose Of the Dominican treaty, but Will fur- nish the precedent for demanding united party vote on all questions that may be considered partisan in their character, when two-thirds of the Democratic Senators so decide. The resolutions, both of which were car ried by more than two-thirds of those present follow:
 Resolved, That the Senate ought not to advise and consent to the treaty between the United States and the Re- public of Santo Domingo. now pending before the Senate.
 "Resolved, That if two-thirds of the caucus shall vote in favor of the fore going resolution, 1t shall be the duty of every Democratic Senator to vote against the ratification of the same treaty"
 Twenty-six Represented.
 Represented in the caucus were twen- ty-six of the thirty-three minority members Those who were absent were Berry, Clark of Montana; Gearin, McLaurin and Stone, all out of the city. Patterson withdrew before the vote was taken. Teller voted for the first reso- Iution and was excused from voting on the second, and McEnery and Taliaferro absented themselves without expiana- ton.
 German was i'll and Carmack was out of the oity. but both authorized their $ votes to be cast. Gearin was called to New York and telegraphed instruc- tions to be counted as present. Ills dispatch was not sufficiently explicit to have his vote recorded
 The first resolution was adopted by vote of 24 to 1, Clarke of Ar<ansas voting in the negative. The second was adopted 20 to 4, Clarke of Arkan- gas, Daniel, Foster and Mallory being on the negative.
 The position of the absentees on the treaty as represented in the caucus gives 20 against the treaty, with the position of Clarke of Arkansas, McEn- cry, Patterson and Taliaferro not known, save for the public expressions of Patterson in the Senate in favcr of the administration policy. Whether the other three Senators will be bound by the action of the caucus remains to be determined, either by some express sion of their own or when the vote is taken.
 United Party Action.
 The spirit manifested in the caucus and voiced by several leading Senators in emphatic expressions after the cau- GUS adjourned was that today's action meant that the Democrats of the Sem ate would have united party action on matters determined by two-thirds of their number to be questions affecting party policy. Those who do not abide by caucus decision will not be regard ed as Democrats, and the point will be raised against them should they ap- pear in future caucuses of the party.
 Mir. Patterson declined to make any explaantion of his leaving the caucus, beyond the bare statement that he did not want to participate in vote that was then about to be taken. When pressed to say whether he had depart ed because he did not want to consider himself bound by the result of the vote, he refused to answer. and said that if he had more to say he would de- clare himself on the floor of the Sem ate. He said that the proceedings had been amicable throughout.
 It is supposed that all of the Republi- cans will vote for the treaty and that four Democratic votes are necessary to secure it's ratification. There are eghty- nine Senators, there being one vacancy from Delaware, and probably one vote, Burtons, will not be cast or paired. Therefore fifty-eight voGes are neces- sary for the ratification.
 Four Votes are Needed.
 The Republicans have 55 without Burton and four votes from the oppo- sition will give them the requisite two thirds. Democratic leaders do not be- lieve these four votes will be forth coming and express the hope that senators who may be favorably dis posed towards the treaty will feel bound by the caucus action today.
 Nearly ever Senator in attendance had something to say on the subject of policy Several Senators declared that the Republicans already had made the Dominican treaty a party ques- tion by uniting for it's support. and on this ground the arguments were made that If the minority hoped to accom- plish anything as a party. it behooved lt to emulate the Republicans and re- establish party discipline.
 Senator Bailey was one of the chier of the speakers voicing this sentiment. senator Teller said that he was oppos. ed to the ratification of the treaty, but at he same time he did not cara 10 bind the party by caucus action on the treaty questions. Senator Clarke of Arkansas said that he wanted more information concerning the treaty and what 1t will do before he committed