The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1899-02-23
ItltPIIONL NUMBERS:
Editorial Rooms.... S23 Counting Room...... S22
THE lNTELLIGENCER.
WHEELING. FEBRUARY 90, 1900.
Grasping at n Straw.

GraSping Mt n straw.
A Washington special In the Register
yesterday gave some details OF the
grounds upon which Colonel McGraw
will protest before the United States
senate the right OF Senator-elcct Scott
to take his scat 1t was a brief resume
OF what will be presented by Senator
Faulkner to the senate. Without refer
ring extensively to the intense enthusl-
asm which inspires Senator Faulkner
TO do his best to carry out Mr.. Nc
Graw's initiative for the campaign of
1900, in view of the perfectly harmonl-
GUS feeling existing between the senator
and Mr.. McGraw, 1t is not at all likely
that the protest will serve any other
purpose.
The grounds upon which the late
Democratic candidate charges that Mr..
Scot; is not legally qualified to take the
seat. have often been published, and the
5public is familiar with them. They
have been stated numbers of times by
Mr.. McGraw himself and by his sup
porters. The senate will decide the
technicalities on which they are based.
and every citizen will accept that judg-
ment. But there is one additional ale
cation made. which Is n fearful strain
of provision of the constitution. The
objection is that Nathan Bay Scott
was an inhabitant OF Washington and
not of West Virginia, and that under
precisely similar circumstances the
house of representatives. held that John
Bailey, member-elcct from Massachu-
sets, was not entitled to Il seat, for,
while citizen Of Massachusetts. he was
not an inhabitant OF that state"
This is one Of the most remarkable
cases Of grasping at straw that could
possibly be imagined. = Mr.. Scott is
temporarily absent from his home In
Wheeling while acting In the capacity
of Commissioner of Internal Revenue.
to which he was appointed by the Pres
ident. His duties require him TO be at
the cdp.:al of the Nation: in this re-
snect he Is in exactly the same position
of every senator who sits in the senate
chamber. Of every member of Congress.
OF every high Official from the Presi-
dent himself and the members OF his
cabinet. down 10 the humblest office
holder, whom Mr.. McGraw might bring
home TO vote. in n congressional cam
paign. II Mr.. McGraw would deprive
citizen of West Virginia from repre-
scnting the state in the United States
senate because his duties as public
servant require him 10 "inhab!t the
capita! city temporarily during his term
of office, he would exclude every citizen
of every state who is there in an official
capacity, necessarily SO. simply while his
term lasts.
In the case any senator whose duties
required him TO temporarily reside In
Washington. by the logic of the claim In
the document. he would be ineligible for
reelection. If 1t should come at time
when important legislation required
him ut tia, particular hour TO be an
"!nhabltant" OF Washington City.
Why should the commissioner of rev
enues or members OF the cabinet be de-
privcd OF high honors from their states
because of II violent construction OF the
term ''lnhabitant?" At any rate, at the
time OF Mir. Scott's election he WAS
within the boundaries Of the state OF
West Virginia. and he was pretty
close to our friend Colonel McGraw's
headquarters at Charleston. lie wasn't
'inhab!ting" Washington at that par
tIcuIar time. but the capital Of tho state
O. which he Is citizen.