Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1880-12-15
POLITICAL TRICKS AND MUD.
DIES.

POLITICAL TRICKS AND MUD
DIES.
When politicians find the law an OBJ
staclc to their partisan schemes, they
are likely to precipitate a muddle anC
resort to all possible tricks to gair
= party advantage even at the expense o.
! law. In every contingency that car
! possibly arise under our State or Gen
? eral Governments, the law is equal tc
q a just solution of all issues, if political
leaders are willing to give an honest
Interpretation and faithful obedience
to IT. but the rule OF party managers
is to seek for all technical quibbles
which may offer partisan advantages,
and thus they keep the Nation almost
continuously shamed by their tricks
and muddle.
They pretend to have apolitical mud
die in Ohio, but it is the partisan and
not the law that is making it, Presi-
dent Garfield is the Senator.elect from
that State, but his term does not begin
until the 4th of March, and as he has
never qualified he cannot resign. He
may declare his purpose not to accept
the position, but that does not create
vacancy, as Senator Thurman serves
until the Ith Of March, nor does it pre-.
clude him from qualifying as Senator,
if he should choose TO do so. True.
there is no probability that Presi.
dent.elect will reject the Presidency to
quality as Senator, but General Gar.
field can do nothing, before the 4th Of
March next, to preclude himself in any
legal way from qualifying as Senator.
If he were to die it would conclude
the question of vacancy, but nothing
short of Garfeld's death before the
4th Of March can make q vacancy in
the Senate that the Ohio Legislature
can Immediately fill and if he shall
live, there will be vacancy in the
Senate only when Inequalities as Prcs.
dent of the United States. The &C.
ceptance of another office that is IN.
compatible with the Senatorship, is
the only way that Garfield can create
a vacancy in the Senate, without quail.
flying as Senator and reslgning.
On the 4th Of March next there will
be n vancy in the Senate from Ohio.
Tho law requiring the election of a
Senator on a particular day by the
Legislature next preceding the com.
mencemont OF the Senatorial term, has
been complied with If the Iegisla.
ture was not in session when the va.
cancy occurs the Governor could ap.
point. The Legislature will be in
session, however, but the Governor
cannot formally notify the Legislature
ola vacancy until the vacancy actually |
occurs on the 4th of March, and the
law requires that tho Legislature shall
then be allowed some days to deliber.
ate before voting for a Senator. The
Ethiopian in the Ohio Senatorial wood
pile is the probable Democratic organl-
zation of the Senate at the Executive
Session, always called on the 4th of
March when new President is to be
inaugurated because OF the absence
of Republican Senator from Ohio,
and theplacemen have made a muddle
and are studying what trick will en-.
able them to get Senator from Ohio
on the 18th Of March without direct
defiance of law. The better way would
be for the party leaders to accept the
law as it is, interpret it honestly, ad-
minister It fairly, and accept the CON
sequences. There is clearly lawful
way to meet the wants of the Repub.
lican leaders. If President Hayes shall
call the Executive Session of the Sen.
ate about the middle of March instead
of the 4th, and thus enable Ohio to
elect Senator IN lawful manner be.
fore the meeting of the body, there
will be no necessity TO resort TO party
tricks to give Republicans their full
power in the Senate. The postpone.
ment of the Executive Session of the ,
Senate would be a questionable ex. {
pedient to serve purely partisan pur. (
pose, but il would be lawful, and that
is bettor than having an Ohio Senator.
ship, muddle and disgraceful trickery 4
10 win party advantage from it.
The same question arose in Penn. (
'ylvania IN 1877. The late General I
+ Small was elected Senator I
rom Philadelphia county in the Fall /
'f 1916, but he volunteered in the Q
Mexican war before the Senate met,
and before be had qualified. He sent q
ais resignation to the Governor who q
IL TO the Senate when that 4
'ody met in January. The question =
Senator who had never r
qualified could resign or vacate his i
eat in any other way than by a
Ieath or the acceptance OF another u
md an incompatible office, was fully Il
discussed with an uncommon free. S
Iom from party prejudice, aud il b
vas decided that he could not resign 4