Hirata attempted to form Sawakai, a party consisting of selected members within the House of Peers, and established the stronghold of the bureaucrat faction of the House of Peers that was under direct control of Yamagata.
平田は貴族院(日本)内で勅撰議員を中心とする会派・茶話会の結成に務め、山縣直系の貴族院官僚派の牙城を築いた。