Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1906-02-08
Dramatic Day in Senate on
Caucus Rule Resolution.
COLORADO SENATOR TOASTED
BY BAILEY OF TEXAS
StoutIy Maintains His Claim to Vote
on Treaty Ratification as His
Conscience Dictates.

Washington, Feb. To-day for the
drst time in many years the senate
administer party discipline to a MEM
ber of that body and the occurrence
was one of so many dramatic details
that the many witnesses will not soon
forget it. Mr. Patterson was the sub
ject of the effort and Mr.. Bailey to
whom, in the absence Of Mr.. German,
democratic leadership is conceded,
was the instrument of his party in the
incident.
The proceeding arose In connection
with the consideration of Mr. Patter-
sons resolution of remonstrance
against the caucus action on treaties
with foreign nations. The Colorado
senator today called up his resolution
Immediately after the conclusion of
the routine morning business and ad-
dressed the senate upon it.
The facts concerning the caucus
proceedings of Saturday and his with
drawal from the caucus were fresh i'm
the minds of the senator's Mr.. Pat
terson's speech was in the main an
elaboration of his resolutions, and he
contended stoutly for the right of a
senator to follow the dictates of his
conscience rather than the demands
of his party In all matters regarding
which the two may be in conflict. 1t
was not until after he had concluded
that the proceedings took on an air
of intensity and excitement.
Bailey Begins Chastlsement.
Mr.. Bailey as well as most of the
members of his party had interpreted
Mr.. Patterson's resolution as a delib-
crate reflection upon the democratic
caucus, and from the moment that
Mr.. Bailey arose he assumed an ag-
gressive and somewhat taunting man
ner toward the Colorado senator. His
speech was based upon the theory that
all senator's are under obligation to
obey conscience rather than caucus,
but that in doing so they antagonized
their party and should hold them
selves responsible to their party, but
the speech was more notable for its
arraignment 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 party 70
the adoption in a previous caucus of
the rule binding democratic senators
to the two-thirds rule. This charge
and Mr. Pattersons response to it con-
stituted most dramatic incident, and
the feeling throughout the chamber
was very tense until the climax was
passed.
Mr. Patterson failed to recall the
proceedings of the previous caucus
but Mr., Bailey's colleague, Mr.. Cul-
berson, was prepared with a copy of
those proceedings and when he had
examined it, Mr.. Patterson said that
he would not undertake to dispute the
record. He was inclined at first to
charge completely to disparage him
before his colleagues in the country
but afterward said that he was as
much concerned over this apparent in
consistency on his own part as he was
over the effect that the springing OF
the matter would have upon the main
issue, which was to exhibit to the
country the danger there is in caucus
dictation.
Makes Senate Political Meeting.
Discussing the democratic binding
resolution, Patterson asked:
us 1t persuasive or coercive?" and
answering his own inquiry, he declar-
ed 1t to be cruel 1T may be refined,
he went on, but it is cruel. 1t strips
senators Of every element of import
ance and is liable to force them to dis
grace their high offices, or send them
into oblivion" He declared that such
a course brought the senate down to
the level of an ordinary political meet
ing.
He especially commended the re-
publican party for not having whole
states bound and gagged by the unit
rule In national conventions"
Mr.. Patterson declared that the doc
trine that even states have right to
direct the votes of their senators has
been abandoned
He. declared that the caucus rule
did not provide for the conscience OF
the senator and said that senator
would De true 10 MS OWN ColNicuoilS
constituting himself a monitor OF
which he should stand in awe. He
appealed for relief from the Cruelty
and Injustice and indefenslble charac-
ter of the caucus action"
II have no regrets for the course
have pursued and shall continue tc
pursue It. II Is true may not be ad-
mitted to the councils OF my party in
the senate, but realizing that l am ex.
cluded because am striving to per-
form my duty as | have sworn to exc
cute It, / will bear the exclusion II
perfect equanifnity, simply saying &c
my democratic friends that expect {
meet them In the next democratic
convention where | hope we will nom
mate candidate for president who
Will be equally as brave as Mr. Rocse