The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1891-01-17

The public has been made familiar with
the fact that on joint ballot the Illinois
legislature stands i0l Democrats, 100 Re-
publicans and 5 +. NJ. b. A. In the SEN
ate the Republicans and in the House the
Democrats have clear majority. The
three Alliance men announce their deter
mination TO make no alliance with either
of he other parties for the election of
Senator, which, if they and both the other
parties should stand firm would relegate to
the next legislature the election of sue
eessor TO Senator Farwen, and in the inte-
rim Illinois would have but one represent
alive in the United States Senate.
When this state of affairs became appar-
ent the Democrats beset themselves to
strengthen their majority in the lower
house, and to beget majority on joint
ballot by cooking up contests against some
five or six members of the lower house on
one and another technical ground, but gen.
orally on an allegation of "ineligibility."
On this latter ground the constitution of
Illinois has an unusually strong provision
that no person is eligible to membership
of the legislature unless he shall have been
"a resident of the state for five years next
preceding his election"
This by the Democrats has been strained
into prohibition of even temporary de-
parture from the state, and they have in
stituted contests against oil of the Repub-
ican members elect who during the pre-
ceding FIVE years had for any brief period
departed into adjoining states. In one of
their cases, perhaps, the holder of the con-
tested seat did permanently change his
residence within the five years, and under
a strict construction is actually ineligible,
but his case is Offset by that of Demo-
cratic Senator whose case is precisely SIM
liar, and all of the other Democratic con-
tests are strictly technical and clearly friv-
olous.
Therefore, with the announcement of the
Democratic intention TO press these con-
tests and seat the contestants in the
House, thus manufacturing majority on
joint ballot, the Republicans of the Sem
ate gave notice that they had as strong or
stronger grounds for unseating an equal
number OF Democratic Senators, and would
do so If forced by the tactics of the other
side, but expressed preference for waiv-
ing mere technicalities on both sides, and
of leaving undisturbed those who had re-
ceiyed a majority of the votes of their sew
eral constituencies.
But now comes the Chicago Herald, urg-
ing the Democrats 10 avail themselves of
every teehnicality, and denouncing as I'M
worthy traitors any who shall allow
qualms of conscience to interfere with the
prompt unseating of all Republicans whose
seats are contested. and vindictively adds
that, eff single Democratic Senator
should be unseated by the Republicans on
the ground of retaliation for Democratic
obedience to the law in the House, the
Democrats Of the House should unseat not
less than five Republicans instanter and
serve notice that that programme will be
continued in the same ratio as long as the
Long Jones party cares to continue the
sport"
This base plea for Mexicanization, COM
ing from the leading Democratic paper of
the second city in the Union, suggestive
of proceedings under the solemnitv of an
oath in the legislature of the third state in
the Union, is enough to bring a blush of
shsme 10 the face of every American citi-
zen who is worthy of the name. No
grosser outrage upon representative gov
eminent and the right of suffrage is con-
ceivahle. Ii is a deliberate turning of the
back upon all respect for law, justice or
decency. 1t is shameless assertion of
the principle that might alone shall be the
measure of right. This is a part of the
bitter fruit of the political madness that
possessed the people of Illinois last No.
vember.