The Forest Republican. [volume] (Tionesta, Pa.) 1869-1952, 1900-04-18
Wisdom From Kalamazoo.

Inc lion. JULIUS caesar DuTTONS, Ol
Kalamazoo, Mich, has at last got off his
great speech in opposition to Senator
Quay, to Governor Stone, to the Consti-
tuition of the United States and to those
Constitutional lawyers of the Senate who
are real Constitutional students.
Just why Mr.. Burrows, Of Kalamazoo,
Mich, could not have spoken his little
piece many weeks ago we fail to compre-
hend, for certainly it is only a rehash OF
the same old arguments that have been
rid1led through and through by Senator
Hoar and others. His whole argument
turns upon technicalities and upon the
twisting of words cut their plain mean
ing. One point that he seems to think of
great value is the fact that Quay and PEN
rose opposed the seating of Corbett, who
was appointed by the Governor from
Oregon. The Kalamazoo statesman will
discover that there are various others
who voted against Mr.. Corbett, but who
will vote for Mr.. Quay; nor is it ques-
ton, as Mr.. Burrows suggests, of the
personality of Corbett and Quay. The
Corbet case was not like Quay's, for
there was conspiracy in Oregon to
name Corbett outside the Legislature,
while in Pennsylvania the conspiracy
was against Quay.
As matter of fact, there is no such
thing as a precedent in an election case.
If Mr.. Burrows does not know, then he
certainly ought to know that in recent
cases partisanship has ruled, and the
Constitution, except by individual Sena-
tors, has been practically ignored in the
voting. The Quay case is being consid-
cred, not from partisan standpoints, but
from the Interpretation of the Constitu-
ton. And the meaning of that Constitu-
ton is that when there is recess of the
Legislature the Governor may fill vacan-
cies.
1t is not necessary to linger longer
with Brother Burrows, of Kalamazoo,
Mich, but it may be interesting to note
one ofhs great objections to the seating
of Quay. He is dredfully afraid that if
the Senate indorses the position of Gov.
Stone some Governor in the future will
actually "usurp the powers of the Legis-
lature' and appoint to vacancy when
the Legislature actually is in session.
There may be something more than ordi-
narily invigorating to the brain in the
celery plants that grow out there in Kali
amazoo, for certain it is that no other dis
tinguished statesman has ever proposed
such tremendous roposition. 1t may
be that a Governor from Kalamazoo
might undertake to make such appoint.
ments, but we do not believe that there
could possibly be a Senator of the Uni
ted States who would uphold him. The
trouble is that the Constitution would be
opposed to it, while the Constitution, on
the other hand, very distinctly gives
power to a Governor to appoint during a
recess.
One other point and we shall leave
Senator Burrows alone to his glory. He
thinks that if Quay should be seated now
all that ne would have to do would be to
secure enough members of the next Leg
islature to prevent an election, and that
in such event he could be reappointed.
''Is the United States Senate prepared" {"
he asks, "to indorse a construction which
would lead to such results?" This is the
old arUunant or ratbar tha old suc,c,o.
tiOn that few members acting with a
Governor can control a Sena torial ap-
pointment. And this is the proposition
that Senator Hoar has already answered.
Mr.. lIOar finds that there is very much
more force in the argument that faction
might prevent an election by the Legis-
lature in the hope that 1t could control
the succeeding Legislature, and Mr..
Hoar has stated Senator Quay's position
exactly. Quay carried the State of Penn
sylvania and elected a Republican Legis-
lature. There was no doubt whatever
about his position so far as the people
were concerned, but few personal enc
mics, including David Martin, broke
their personal pledge and formed a COM
bination to deadlock the Legislature.
The leaders Of this boiling movement
hoped-a hope that is now shattered
be able to appeal to the State at the next
election and gain control for themselves.
1t was conspiracy of little minority OF
Republicans to dominate the whole Re-
publican party. 1t is this conspiracy that
led to a recess without an election, and
during that recess Governor Stone ap-
pointed the candidate who had already
been selected by the voters of the State.
II is hardly worth while bothering,
therefore, with Mr.. Burrows suggestion.
What has happened is one proposition
What might happen under certain con.
tingencies is quite another, and the Sen.
ate is not obliged to cross a bridge of the
future until that bridge has been erected
-Ihiid. Inquirer.
BLACKBtJRN's credentials to the Senatt