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Show POLICY OF THE PAPiTY. Washington, Jan. 24. The Democratic members of the senate held a conference confer-ence today to consider the question of party policy on the various questions before congress. They have found themselves following somewhat divergent diver-gent paths on some of these questions, and concluded that their party interests demanded that they should have a better bet-ter understanding among tnemselves. Hence today's conference. No definite conclusion was reached, but when the conference adjourned there was a general gen-eral understanding of the lines to be pursued. The question of the policy to be pursued pur-sued towards the Philippine archipelago attracted more attention than any other. On this point there was "a general gen-eral exchange of views, the concensus of opinion evidently favoring the policy outlined in Senator Bacon's resolution of protecting life and property in the islands until quiet is restored, when the United States shall provide the opportunity oppor-tunity and prescribe the method for the "formation of a government by and o the people of the Philippine islands to be independently exercised and controlled con-trolled by themselves." There was also more or less discussion discus-sion of the bills providing a form of government for the Hawaiian islands and for Puerto Rico. The preponderance preponder-ance of opinion concerning these bills was favorable to -absolute free trade between the United States and these! islands as a part of this country. With reference to the financial bill, it was practically decided to offer a substitute providing for the free coinage coin-age of silver. Senators- Lindsay and Caffery were present, and while they indi.-atod thi.in intantinn n.-t tn ho bound by any decision on this line, they recognized the futility of any effort to prevent its being pursued. The conference adjourned with the understanding that another meeting will be held soon. - : '. |