The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1900-04-28
Special Correspondence Of The Tribune.

ouay's Explanation.
Special Correspondence Of The Tribune.
Washington, April 25.--The senate
vote in the Quay case was a surprise
to everybody except the opposition Re-
publican senators. And, possibly, they
didn't know when Senator Hanna left
Washington, without being paired,
that his vote was necessary to defeat
Mr.. Quay. Up. to the very hour of the
roll call the result was a matter of
speculation. The doubtful quantity
was the Democratic vote. At the last
moment the faltering Democrats were
lashed into line by the Democratic floor
manager. To Senator Jones belongs
the credit of Mr.. Quay's defeat. Des-
pite the Republican opposition, had the
promised Democratic vote materialized
the result would have been different.
SENATOR HANNA.
The disposition here is to blame SEN
ator Hanna for Mr.. Quay's defeat. But
why Hanna more than the other 13 Re-
publican senators who voted against
Mr.. Quay on constitutional" grounds?
1t is asserted that he influenced the
opposiliOH vote, DuJ II Is
mere assertion, and every one of the
Republican senators who voted against
Mr.. Quay Indignantly resent The i'm
putation. 1t Is asserted, too, that Sen
ator Hanna represented the admins
tration in voting against Mr.. Quay.
That is not mere assertion, it is a VIC
ious misstatement made for political
effect. 1t is boldly asserted, too, that
1NVR,fa net
the administration against Mr.. Quay.
That also is a fragrant and vicious in
vention. 1t was sent to Harrisburg to
prevent Mr.. Smiths Endorsement for
the presidency. 1t seems to have
been good enough Richmond for that
purpose. A score or more of other
stories are current here in the dilgent
effort of Washington newsmakers to
account for Senator Hanna's vote. 1t
Is known, however, that two weeks ago
he declared his intention to Senator
Burrows to vote against Mr.. Quay. No
body knows positively that he ever had
at any time any purpose to vote other
wise.
A CENTURY OF DISCUSSION.
The power of the governor of a state
to appoint senator after the failure
of the legislature to elect has been a
debatable question in the senate for
nearly a century. And there is hun
dred years more of controversy in the
future on the question unless senators
are elected by a direct vote of the peo-
pl. The vote in the Quay case settles
nothing. The doctrine of stare decisis
and res adjudicata so pertinaciously
applied in opposition to Mr.. Quay
didn't make a single vote. There is
no such thing as precedent in hybrid
political body like the senate. Will the
Republican senator's who shall succeed
Populist Senator Allen. of Nebraska,
and Butler of North Carolina, both
creatures of accident and afiiiction, ac-
cept their vote in the Quay case as
stare decsis or res adjudicata? Ac-
cording to the public utterances of
these two Populist constitutional
lawyers" they would abolish the Su-
preme court of the United States as a
means to accomplish the imposition of
an income tax. Is it likely that any
reasonably intelligent person in or out
of the United States senate will attach
the slightest weight to Allen and
Buffers vote in the Quay case as es-
tablishing a precedent? Is it likely
that the country will accept the votes
of Allen and Butler, who made the bare
majority of one that defeated Mr..
Quay, as a settlement of the question
against the votes of Allison and Spoo-
ner? VIII the generation of senators
to come accept Tillman, of North Caro-
lima, as authority on constitutional
construction and consider the question
res adjudicata, or will they look to
Hoar of Massachusetts for light? 1t
seems idle to ask such questions. But
if Tillman and Butler and Allen may
vote their constitutional opinions in
opposition to Mr.. Quay without public
criticism why should Senator Hanna S
vote be questioned?
THE ADMINISTRATION
The stories connecting the president
or any member Of his cabinet with
Quay'S defeat are preposterous No
intimation of any sort emanated from
that source on the subject. No opin-
ion and no wish in the matter has ever
been expressed by the president or any
one connected with his administration
Postmaster General Smith has no con-
nection whatever with the Philadelphia
Press and Ia in no way responsible for
the opinions or policy of that paper
The suggestion of Mr.. Smiths nomina-
iion for the vice-presidency has been
treated with stolid Indifference by the
Press. With few exceptions every
leading paper in the country has COM
mended Mr.. Smiths name in connec-
ton with the nomination. Conspicuous
among the exceptions stands the
Press. Yet Mr.. Smith is held RESPONSE
bic for the utterances of the Philadel-
Thia paper with no more reason than
Senator Hanna is made responsible for
the opinions of the administration. The
president is not a figurehead. He is
surrounded by able, vigorous and hon
est cabinet officials. They are not
clerks.
Around the council table they are the
peers of the president In strictly po-
litical matters the president is i'm close
touch with the Republican leaders both
ir and out of public life. He does not
assume to know everything. He Is not
above advice. He invokes co-opera-
ton. He seeks information.--H is a
close student of men and a close OBJ
! server of current happenings. He is
not afraid Of congress and does not
resent the importunate efforts of the
most industrious congressman i'm his
desperation to secure executive favor.
lie is "A gentleman under all circum-
stances. The long, close intimacy be-
| tween Senator Hanna and himself is
wholly responsible for the flagrant
prevarcations about Mr.. Hanna's in
/