The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1906-02-09
Colorado Senator Who
Wished to Vote as He
81. Pleased Strikes Back
.6 at Efforts to MuzzIe
at Him.
Causes Sensation in the
Senate by Introducing
Resolution as an Out
H
come of the Santo
.a Domingo Affair.

-" domingo AITaiF.
Washington, Feb. 5.-Senator Pat
terson, of Colorado, vine has announc'
ed his determination to vote for the
ratification of the Santo Domingo
treaty and who was practically di-
rected by the Democratic caucus on
Saturday to vote against it on pain
of being read out of the Democratic
party. has started to fight back. He
carried the fight into the arena of
the senate today.
The caucus adopted resolutions de-
claring it to be the duty of every
Democratic senator to vote on pend
ing questions, in accordance with the
determination of two-thirds of the
senators of that body.
At the conclusion of the routine
business, Mr.. Patterson. today intro
duced resolutions declaring that any
such attempt to coerce senator into
voting against MS conviction is un-
j constitutional. He gave notice that
he would address himself to the
question Wednesday. 1t may mean a
bitter tigrt.
Democratic senators decline to be
quoted for publication on this reso.
luton They do not hesitate, how
ever to condemn Mr.. Patterson's
course, and denounce the phraseology
of his resolution.
90 They feel that he has transgressed
not only party proprieties, but senator
ial courtesy as they declare they
L i'm,
but have taken the proper course to
point out to him the wishes of the ma
jority of his party in the senate. They
say at the recent caucus, the senator
from Colorado took an active part in
the discussion, only leaving the meet
ing previous to the taking of vote,
and that he then made no charge that
his party colleagues were attempting
to coerce him.
There is no precedent in the history
of senate for Mr.. Patterson's action
today. they say. They have no pres
ent intention of holding a caucus to
discuss the case and declare that if
he chooses to place himself outside OF
the party wall, it is nobody's business
but his own.
"a The resolution introduced by Mr.
Patterson, after reciting the facts in
several whereases, proceeded as fol-
lows:
Resolved-First, that such action
by the said, or any other, caucus, is
In plain violation of the spirit and
Intent of the. constitution of the Uni
ted States.
"Second-That for two-thirds or
any other number of the senators of
any part to meet and declare that 1t
shall be the duty of any senator to
vote upon any question other than as
his own convictions impel him, is a
plain violation of the manifest intent
and spirit of the constitution all have
sworn to, uphold and defend
"Third-That the one vote the con-
stitution declares each senator shall
have is his own vote, and not the
vote of any other of any number of
Other senators, and for a senator to
cast one vote against his convictions
of right and duty in the premises is
to disfranchise his state in the senate
and to deprive 1t of the representation
in that body the constitution pro-
yldes it shall have.
"Fourth-That when any number OF
senator's by combination or otherwise
undertake through any species of CO
ercion to induce other senators tt
vote. except as their judgments and
conseiences tell them, it is an inva
sion of the rights of state to equa
representation with other states il
the senate and is subVersive of theil
rights to equal representation and thu
votes of It's senators In the senate
that the constitution has provided for
oFifth-That the senator who per
mits any body of other senators Il
declare and define for him what hi
sduty Is in the matter of his vote II
the senate, and who casts his vot'
tieraresponse to such interference
votes, not as senator from his owl
estate, but as senator from the 9th
er states, augments the power of tn
other states beyond that permitte
SByathe consultation and weakens an
sdegrades the power of his own stat
IN the senate in violation OF the splri
of the Constitution.
- 4Sixth-That for any senator h
vote except on his judgment and sens
iOf duty under his oath of office rC
qsrres, is to degrade the high ofic
u OF senator, and to assail the dignit
and standing of the senate of tn
iUnlted States--qua1ities possessed i