The Lee County journal. (Leesburg, Ga.) 1904-19??, 1906-02-09
A CAUCUS RULE
OF DEMOCRATS
CincheS Vote Against Santo Do
mingo Treaty In Senate.
MUST STAND TO THE RACK
Any Senator Who is DispoSedtO Buck"
Against Edict Will Be Read Oh
Of the Party.

A Washington special says: Under
the action taken by senate democrats
in their caucus Saturday, any dem
ocrat who refuses to vote against the
ratification of the San Domingo treaty
will be barred from future party eau
cuses.
So far as his fellow senators are
concerned, any member who declines
to be bound by caucus action will be
read out Of the party.
The effect of this step, in the opin-
ion of democratic leaders, will be
tie defeat of the pending treaty.
Senator Patterson, who has declar-
ed himself a supporter of the pres.
idents program, was present during
the discussion, but withdrew before
the vote, serving notice that he could
not permit himself to be bound by it.
Senator McEnery, who has been
quoted as declaring he would vote for
the treaty, caucus or no caucus, was
absent What position Senator Clarke
Of Arkansas will take upon the final
vote on the treaty Is uncertain. He
was the only senator present who
voted against a resolution declaring
against the ratification of the treaty,
but his associates seem to believe he
will be bound by the caucus. There
were other absentees, but their fall
ure to be present does not, in the
opinion of fellow democrats, indicate
that they are in any degree white
house democrats"
Two resolutions adopted at the eau
Gus not only will dispose Of the Do
minican treaty, but will furnish the
precedent for demanding united par
ty vote on all questions that may be
considered partisan In their character,
when twothirds of the democratic
senators so decide.
The resolutions, both of which were
carried 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
republic of Santo Domingo, now pend
ing before the senate.
Resolved, That if two thirds of the
caucus shall vote in favor of the fore
going resolution, it shall be the duty
of every democratic senator to vote
against the ratification OF the same
treaty"
Represented in the caucus were
twenty-six Of the thirty-three minority
members. Those who were absent
we're 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 resolution, and was excused from
voting on the second, and McEnery
and Talaferro absented themselves
without explanation.
German was Ill and Carmack was
out Of the city, but both authorized
their votes to be cast Guerin was
called to New York, and telegraphed
instructions to be counted at present.
His dispatch was not sufficiently ex-
pllcit to have his vote recorded. The
first resolution was adopted by avote
adopted 20 to 4, Clark of Arkansas,
in the negative The second was
adopted 20 to 4, Clarke Of Arkansas,
Daniel, Foster and Mallory voting in
the negative.
The spirit manifested in the caucus
and voiced by several leading sena-
tors in emphatic expressions after the
caucus adjourned was that this ac-
ton meant that the democrats Of the
senate would have united party action
on matters determined by two-thirds
Of their number to be questions af-
fecting party policy. Those who do
not abide by caucus decision will not
be regarded as democrats, and the
point will be raised against them,
should they appear in future caucuses
Of the party