The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1889-12-07
THE COLUMBIAN ELECTION.
The Other Side Of the Question


untrue and wholly misleading. The
tenor of its many emphatic asser-
lions indicated that the author was
very sore from the exposure of some
nicely laid plans and not having
the courage and stability to brook
defeat he bellows Fraud" and APP
peals to the press to mouth his cries.
Although 1t is evident on the face OF
the article that it is the inevitable
howl of the rejected, and although it
may appear "brute act to prod SO
capital calf yet in order that Co
lumbar friends may not be In doubt
of the meaning of his signs, it may
be well to explain the action of the
society. The cause of all his tears
and EXPLANATIONS is as follows: The
clique of which "Z' is willing rep
resentative after many caucuses and
midnight consultations had matured
an elaborate scheme to not only de
prive several lawful members of the
right to vote in the election but also
to effectually stifle the indignation
of large majority of the society,
They thought that the election OF
their candidate would depend upon
the votes of three men who had join
ed the society some weeks previous
A section of the society constitution
provides: "No member shall be eli
gible to vote at any election unless
he shall have been in actual attend
ance at the University and in the so
ciety at least 3 weeks previous to such
election" These men had complied
with the above requirements of the
constitution, had been elected and
taken the oath of affirmation at a
meeting of the society three weeks
before. Yet the moral "Z' and his
angelic followers in accordance with
"scruples of conscience" 'loyalty to
the society" and animated by prin-
ciples of right and justice grasped
upon the feeble pretext that these
members had not paid the required
initiation fee until the Tuesday fol-
lowing their election and therefore
had not been sin the society" 3 weeks
(although the constitution plainly
states that member shall be allow
cd two weeks in which to pay this
fee) knowing how utterly absurd
this position would appear and well
assured that majority of the mem
bers would reject it, if it should be
left to their decision, the thoroughly
organized 81 ites' controlling the
chair as their undisputed property,
conceived the idea of having him not
only decide that these members
could not vote, but contrary to every
custom Of deliberative assemblies
and directly opposed to the constitu-
tion itself declare that appeals from
his decision would not be entertain
ed. This is the pure, honest sim
plicity with which the faction, for
which z weeps, went into the Column
bian bent ON having ''justiceY' This
is the true moral grandeur of those
"loyal members of the society who
do not stoop to plans or schemes.
The night of the election came, this
faction arranged itself in a line
near the chair, and the balloting fol
president commenced. According
to the previous arrangement the
chair decided that these three men
whom he thought opposed to his
candidate, were not entitled to vote
a member arose pointed him to the
above section of the constitution
proved by the records that these
members were elected and sworn il
three weeks previous and had paid
their initiation fee within the time
required. The chair repeated hii
declaration; a gentleman obtained
the floor and appealed from his de
cision; the chair refused to entertain
the appeal. At this fragrant viola
ton of parliamentary rules
murmurs DISBURSEMENT were heard
all over the hall, several members
started to their feet and read to the
presiding officer the separate section
and article of the constitution which
plainly says: "An appeal may, il
all cases, be made from any decision
of the president" The chair was
obstinate and bringing his gave
down upon the marble stand, ordered
the gentlemen to take their seats
saying, II am the constitution" The
honest members of the society OBJ
jected to any man personating the
constitution no matter how golden
his locks might be, and in order
that they might have impartial rul
ings asked the President of the Uni
versity who was in the hall to take
the chair. The aforesaid auburn
haired constitution" seriously object
ed, knowing that President Turner
rulings would be impartial and that
if an honest vote was taken his can
didate would hopelessly be defeat
ed. At length, however, being una
BILE to stem the rising tide of indig
nation he vacated the chair and the
President of the University took il
amid the applause of the society. He
said that this appeal was in order
that appeals from the decision of the
chair were always in order, that il
was the only resort the members had
from the opinions of the chair and
that he himself put this separate
article, relating to appeals, in the
constitution in order that the society
might be protected from the ''arhi
trary rulings of an autocrat." Dire
CONSERVATION Immediately waded in
among the 81 ties" and staid there
President Turner after Investigation
decided that these 3 men whose votes
had been challenged were entitled te
vote, thereupon the gentleman who
had just left the chair availing him.
self of the privilege which q
few moments before he haG
denied the society appealed from
the presidents decision. 1t is need
less to say that the appeal was over
whelmingly lost. At this juncturt
the leaders of the clique of which
sZ'' is the mouth piece finding that
their scheme was exposed and haf
fled handed in their designations t.
the society; this was an act that