Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1906-02-08
AIexanoria 6azetts.
BAILEY RAps PATTERSON.

When the GazHtte's c0bgreSslOnai re-
port closed yesterday Senator Patterson,
Of Colorado, was making speech in
defense Of his resolution declaring the
recent action Of the democratic caucus
to be unconstitutional.
Mr.. Patterson declared that the doc
trine that even states have a right to
direct the votes of their Senators has
been abandoned. He indorsed the
change of view holding that the freedom
of Senators could not otherwise be main
tanned. -.
He declared that the caucus rule did
not proyide for the conscience of the
Senator, and said that Senator should
he true to his own convictions, con-
stilutipg himself monitor Of which ne
should stand in awe He appealed Tor
relief from the "cruelty and injustice
aud indeiensible character OF the caucus
action"
Quoting the different sections OF the
preamble TO his resolution, Mr.. Patter-
SON commented upon them. Referring
to one of these sections, be said there Is
neither constitutional nor statutory au-
thority for twenty-five or thirty Senators
to attempt to coerce the vote of one OF
their colleagues. Such course is cal
culateu to deprive a state of its proper
renresentstion in the Senate, he declar-
ed. an asked: "Wbo is willing to be
impaled by The public contempt for sub
hitting to such dictation q lie de-
clared that in thus voting Senator be-
comes representative Of other states
rather than his own.
He closed substantially as follows;
"I have no regrets for the course l
have pursued and | shall continue to
pursue il. II is true | may not be ad-
mit,ed to the councils of my party 10 the
Senate but, realizing tha. | am ex-
cludtd because I'm striving to perform
nv duty as have sworn to execute 1t,
| will bear the exclusion in perfect
equanim'ty, simply ssying to my demo-
cratic friends that | expect to meet them
in the next democratic convention,
where hoTe we will nominate candl-
date for President who will be equally as
brave as MIR. Roosevelt 10 fighting the
fight OF the people.
Mr.. Bailey, as well as most OF the
members of his party, bad interpreted
NJ. Patterson's resolutions as deliber-
ale reflection upon the democratic caucus,
and from the moment that Mr.. Bailey
arose he assumed an aggressive aud
somewhat tsunting manner toward the
Colorado Senat IT. His speech was based
upon ihe .heory that all Senators are
under obligation to obey conscience
rather than caucus, TUT Ina. ~ doing so
!hey aniagonize their party and should
hold themselves responsible to Their
party: but the soeech was more notable
for its arraignment of Mr.. Patterson for
his course than for lts adherence u a"y
line OF argument.
Mr.. Bailey charged the Senator from
Colorado with having been a party 10
the adoption in previous caucus OF the
rule binding democratic Senators TO The
two-thrds rule. This charge and Mr..
Patterson's response to it constituted
dramatic incident and the feeling
throughout the Senate chamber was
tense until the climax was passed.
Mr.. Palte son, in his speech, said ne
had been called "boller" and
"White House democrat" but declared
he had pe;er made but one request for
an official appointmentby by the President,
and in that case the roqueSt was refused
He said he expected to vote Tor the
Santo Domingo treaty, but he expected
the treaty to be amended.
Much of this statement was brought
out by questions from Mr.. Morgan.
Mr.. Daniel asked Mr.. Patterson If be
knew of any other Senator who would
| vote for the treaty, but Mr.. Patterson
did not reply. Instead he referred to
the charge made that he bad deserted
his party and that he was in the habit
of making party changes. He admitted
he had left the democratic party in 1877
| rather than support Mr.. Cleveland. 10
this connection he referred to Mr.. Till
mans course 10 his own State, and MIR.
Tillman interrupted with the remark
that ''he had eaten as much crow IN
submitting to party dictation as any man
living"
did you like ii? asked Mr.. Spooner,
and Mr. Tillman replied, "No, but l
took it,"
Discussing the democratic cacus bind
ing resolution, he asked.
sIs it persuasive or coerciv'" and
! answering bis own inquiry he declared
il to be cruel. at may be refined,
he went on, "but, it is cruel. 1t strips
Senators of every element of indepen-
| dence and is liable to force them to dis
grace their high Office or go into oblivion. "
lie declared that such course brought
the Senate down to the level Of an ordl-
nary political meeting. :,
Mr. Bailey, in his reply, SAID Mr.
Patterson had proceeded throughout bis
speech on the false hypothesis that the
democratic party had sought to coerce
him in the matter OF casting his vote on
the Sanio Domingo treaty. He also de-
clared that Mr.. Patterson had failed to
understand the purport of the caucus
resolution and his relationship to his
party. The caucus had simply defined
| Inc duty of Senators as members OF the
democratic party; it must be for HIM to
determine bis duty as Senator IN
contradistinction to his duty as demo
crat.