The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1892-08-26

committee and Senators Mines and
Garvelink afterwards positively de-
clared that the committee had never
considered the question of a report.
Hence the so called report read by
Senate Park was an absolute false
hood, concocted for partisan purposes.
In spite of Senator Wilcox's protests
and Senator Taylor's questions of order
on the reception of such report, both
utterly ignored by President Strong,
this report, known to be false by every
Democratic senator, Lieut.. Gov. Strong
and Secretary Murphy, was forced
through by the votes of the IA Demo-
Gratis against those of the Republicans
and Patrons, z in number. A resolu-
ton, presented by Senator Park, un-
seating Senator Horton and seating
Morrow, was then adopted without a
peatedly demanded the yeas and nays.
elimination of Fraud.
No sooner was the Morrow-Horton
case disposed of than Senator Crocker
arose and read similar report in the
observation-disclosures case. The committee
in this case consisted of Senators
Croclfer, Gilbert, (Democrats) Bastone,
(Patron) Taylor and Flesheim, (Repub-
licans). The proceedings in this case
were even more fragrant than in the
Morrow Horton contest. The report
was equally false, having been fabri-
Gated by the two Democrats during the
recess without any meeting of the COM
mittee, although four of its five MEM
bers were present Senators Bastone
and Taylor openly challenged the re-
port as false and declared on the floor
of the Senate that the committee had
not yet finished taking testimony and
had never considered the subject of a
report. Their protests and questions
of order were utterly ignored by
Lieut.. -Gov. Strong. The excitement
grew intense. +. III. Hosford, the sec
rotary of the Democratic state central
committee and political boss for the oc-
casion, stood by the side of the Lieuten-
ant-Governor debating and directing
his actions and rulings. Foreseeing
that no consideration of justice or de-
cency would prevent the unseating OF
Morse and the seating OF Fridlender,
the Republicans and Patrons withdrew
from the Senate, except Senator lay
lor who remained to raise the question
of not a quorum present. This left in
the chamber only IA Democrats and
one Republican, two less than quorum
of the Senate. The report was adopted
by what purports to be roll call, but
it is evident that the record is mere
copy of the last preceding roll call,
for the journal of the next day shows
that Senators Bastone, Benson, Toan
and Sabin asked to have their names
stricken from the roll call. In fact
other senators made the same request,
but it was ignored, since the granting
of it would have shown the lack of a
quorum. Senator Crocker then offered
two resolutions, unseating Morse and
seating Fridlender. Senator Taylor,
standing in his own proper place on
the floor of the Senate raised the point
of order that there was not a quorum
present The President utterly ignored
the point, well knowing it to be well
taken. Then Senator Taylor, under
the privilege granted him by the rules
of the Senate, made known repeatedly
his requirement that the vote be taken
by yeas and nays. Since a roll call
would have disclosed the lack of
quorum President Strong ignored his
demand and put the vote. What there
could not have been a quorum of II
senators present when Morse was
ousted and Fridlender seated is appar-
ent from the sworn statement, on the
journal of the next day, of 16 senators
that they were not present, viz: Sem
ators Garvelink, Wilkinson, Withing-
ton, Sabin, Morse, Flesheim, Stevens,
Wheeler, Mines, Prindle, Weiss,
Brown, Bastone, Toan, Wilcox and
Benson. If all the rest had been pres
ent it would not have made a quorum.
But Senator Horton had just been
ousted from his seat, which leaves only
Is that could have been present, two
less than quorum.
What Republicans Charge.
The Republican party therefore
charges:
That Senators Park and CroclSer, I'M
der their oaths of office, certified to
utter and deliberate falsehoods, as re-
ports of the select committees of which
they were chairmen;
That Lieut.. Gov. Strong, in fragrant
defiance of his oath of Office as pre-
siding officer, knowing those reports to
be false, ignored the protests of sena
tors, ignored the demand for the yeas
and nays under the rules, ignored the
constitutional provision relative to a
quorum, and prostituted his high
office, at the behest of his party bosses,
for the furtherance of falsehood;
That Lieut.. Gov. Strong violated the
rules of decorum in permitting q party
boss to stand by his side debating his
course as presiding officer, and also
violated the principles of common hon
esty in consenting to hear the con-
tested cases, after it had been agreed
that they should not be taken up;
That Secretary Murphy, upon whom
the rules imposed the duty of keeping
"a correct journal of each days pro-
ceedings," disregardrd his oath of
Office in neglecting to enter the yeas
and nays on the journal, in compliance
with the rule that upon any question
the names of those who voted for or
against the same SHALL be entered on
the journal, IF ONE MEMBER REQUIRE
IT." and also in neglecting to enter on
the Journal such demand for the yeas
and nays and the point Of order raised
that there was not a quorum present.
That the journal of tho Senate, for
February "a, 1891, is in no sense "a |
correct journal of that days proceed |
ings," but is record cunningly made |
to conceal Democratic violations of |
law, to battle judicial investigation and !
To defeat Justice.