Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-02-03
AIM OF DEMOCRATS
Seeking to Defeat the Santo
Domingo Treaty.
CAUCUS OF SENATORS
Three Already Gained by the Admin
istration.
TRYING TO HOLD LINE FIRM
Opposition Expressed to Binding
Those Present to Act as a Unit hut
That Course Generally Favored.

The democratic members of the Senate
held a long caucus today at which they
discussed the question of making a united
front against the ratification of the Santo
Domingo treaty. The caucus was assembled
before II O'clock, and was in session in
Senator Germans committee room several
hours.
IEere were nine absentees at the meeting
today. OF the thirty-three democratic sem
ators, McEnery and Taliaferro We're in
town and We're not present, no special rea-
son beng known why they should not be
In attendance. except that Mr.. McEnery
Will vote for the treaty and would not bs
bound by the caucus
Senator German was i'll at his home
Senator Berry was in Arkansas, Senator
Carmack went to Tennessee last evening,
Senator Clark of Montana is in New York,
Senator Gearin is in New York, but tele-
graphed to count him as present; Senator
McLaurin is in Mississippi and Senator
stone is in New York. All other demo-
cratic senators were present and manifested
the greatest possible interest in the ques
tfon that was before the caucus.
Trying to Keep Ranks Firm.
The discussion called out so many sena-
tors who desired TO say something on tho
subject that 1t seemed that ii might be nee
essary to have adjournment and to meet
again in order TO make a satisfactory
agreement. The caucus was held for the
purpose of ascertaining whether democratic
senator's would agree to stand together SOL
idly irropposition to the ratification of the
treaty If this agreement Is reached 1t is
likely TO be followed by efforts to have simi
lar agreements on other measures that may
come before the Senate
But the immediate business in hand was
nd y1T~I tlaz.C
Even If every republican In the Senate
votes for the treaty, as there is little doubt
Will be the case, 1t will require four demo-
Gratis to give the necessary two-thirds vote.
Senator Patterson of Colorado has come out
in favor Of the treaty andsSenator McEnery
and Senator Clark of Arkansas are be-
lieved to be firmly fixed in their intention
to vote for ratification. If there is
fourth senator he cannot be pointed TO with
defniteness at this time, and the effort of
the caucus today has been to prevent a
fourth senator from coming out for the
treaty. If that plan can succeed it assures
the defeat of the treaty, which is the OBJ
ject desired by the minority.
Opposed to lettering Senators
Senator Patterson was one of the first to
speak and he opposed any action tending
to bind senators in the manner in which
they should vote on any proposition. He
declared in positive language that so far
DIS he was COIlGeIu ne eApeEleu 10 use MS
best judgment in taking any course that
seemed to him right and proper. whether
it conceded with the views OF other demo-
cratic senators or not.
Senator Teller also spoke and while he
indicated his hope that the treaty would
be defeated, he said he could not approve
the adoption of any resolution by which
senators would be bound to vote against
the treaty without regard to their per-
sonal judgment.
Senator Bailey was strongly in favor of
this caucus action, and declared that un-
less the democrats could get together and
present united front on questions that are
determined to be party issues it will be i'm
possible for the party to prove effective In
the Senate.
Quite a number of other senators spoke.
Mr.. Tillman showed his interest in securing
united action on these matters. In fact,
the prevailing sentiment of the democratic
senator's favored the adoption of a resoIu-
tion assuring united action on the part of
all those who came into the caucus.
1t was stated that the prospects were not
f&ttering for an agreement at today's eau
Gus, although the opinion was expressed
that a sufficient number would bind them
selves to insure the defeat of the treaty
If no agreement is reached today the eau
Gus probably will be adjourned to some
later date and another effort made 10
adopt the two-Uhirds rule.