The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1892-08-26
THE ACME OF SHAML
1T WAS REACHED BY THE DEM
OCRACY MICHIGAN,
Entered Upon a Career of Partisan
Legislation---TheS Story Told In Brief

/
Legislation---Ths Story Told In Brief.
The Republican state platform con-
dennis the present Democratic admins
tration for its subserviency to the exac-
lions OF political demagogues, who
have used the party organization for
their own ACKNOWLEDGEMENT and have
made the interests of the state sec
ondary consideration. The platform
then pertinently charges:
AS illustrating the methods and practices
Oh. the Democratic party we call attention
| 10 It's brazen thefts OF the Senate of this
state during Its last session by unlawfully
and corruptly seating two usurpers in that
BODY by the act OF less than a constltu-
tional quorum thereof. thus making it pos
sible to enact the Infamous Miner law, the
INSCRIPTIONS gerrymander of Congress
sionab Senatorial and Representative dis
| tricts, and much other legislation which is
disgrace to any civilized people.
This is plank in the platform that
| the people should not cast lightly aside,
but should carefully consider. The
| proofs that can be adduced to substan-
tiate the above charges are sufficient to
condemn the present Democratic state
| administration in the opinion of honest,
fair-minded men.
Patron Members Cheated.
When the Senate of 1891 assembled
1t contained IA Republicans, ID Demo-
| Gratis and Patrons of Industry.
| The Democrats had the President and
| they perfected their organization of the
Senate by wheedling the Patrons into
the election of Democratic Secretary.
In return for the latter officer the
Democrats gave the Patrons the Ser
| geant-at-Arms and the Enrolling Clerk,
two officers that could neither aid nor
obstruct Democratic schemes. AS the
| Senate stood, neither party could pass
partisan measures and the Patrons held
| the balance of power. During the first
two months of the session the Patrons
had shown tendency to act with the
| Republicans, which alarmed the Demo-
Gratis. They soon realized that the sue
cess of their schemes to steal the Repub-
| lican state of Michigan depended en-
tirely upon their getting control of the
Senate, for they already possessed the
House. How was it done?
Contests Trumped Up.
At the instigation of the Democratic
| bosses, James Ii. Morrow and Charles
A. Fridlender, defeated Democratic
candidates, contested the seats of Sena-
tors Horton and Morse respectively. In
| the former case it was pretended that
Senator Horton held the office of post
| master, although he had resigned be-
| fore election, and in the latter case
trumped up charges of irregularities in
| certain election precincts were alleged.
But whatever may have been the merits
OF the cases either way, they never APP
| peared, for both contests were summar
| lily disposed of, under stress of Demo-
Graz necessity, before the committees
| had finished their work.
Republicans ShamefulIy Deceived.
The Republican state convention was
held at jackson on February "a In &C
cordance with the usual custom the Re-
publican members were granted leave
OF absence to attend. Before accepting
the leave, however, Senator Mines
stated that he would not absent himself
unless he could be assured that nothing
OF political nature would be brought
up and especially that no action would
be taken in the contested cases during
the absence of the Republican mem
bers. Senator Wisner in reply stated
that he could speak for himself and he
| assumed to speak for his political asso-
ciates, and assured Senator Mines that
no such action would be taken. This
pledge was given on the floor of the
Senate chamber, in open session, in the
presence of Lieut-Gov. Strong, and was
as solemn an agreement as if made in
court before the trial judge. No entry
OF 1T was made on the journal, how
ever, the Democratic secretary taking
care that nothing should appear on the
record to interfere with the Democratic
schemes. Ten Republican senators ac-
cepted the leave of absence so granted.
The following is a statement of the dis
trlbution of the 32 senators on that
eventful day:
Republican senators at Jackson:
Flesheim, Horton, Mines, Morse, Prin-
die, Stevens, Weiss, Wheeler, Will1in-
son, Withington-1O.
Republican senators absent on in
definite leave: Garvelink, Toan-2.
Republican members present: Sabin,
Taylor.
Democratic senators present: Beers,
Boughner, Croker, Doran, Gilbert,
Holcomb, Mccormick, Miller, Mugford,
Park, Porter, Sharp, Smith, Wisner--l4.
Patron senators present: Bastone,
Benson, Brown, Wilcox-4.
This shows that only 20 of the scna-
tors were present at the opening of the
session-14 Democrats, Patrons and
Republicans. This is only three more
than quorum necessary to do bust
ness. Senator Toan, a Republican,
took his seat little later, making 8
Republicans in all.
Democratic Iniqulty Hatched.
The Republican members had scarcely
left the capital city, when, in the very
midst of the forenoon's business, on
motion of Senator Ebert, Democrat,
the Senate took re, ess OF 20 minutes.
No necessity existed for such stop,
except the need of little time TO hatch
up one of the most villainous partisan
schemes recorded in the history of
American politics. The Democrats
skunk into the seclusion of committee
room to do the deed. Twenty minutes
were not enough and the Lieutenant
Governor, who had guilty knowledge of
the dishonest purposes of his party
leaders, allowed the recess to drag on.
When reminded by reporter for the
press that his 20 minutes was nearly an
hour, he returned an evasive answer
and did not call the Senate to order
until he had been informed that the
cOnSplratOrS were ready for action