The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-04-26
The PennsyIvanian's Public Career
Regarded as Ended, Although
He May Worry His Enemies.
SENATOR HANNA'S REASONS
DROVE A NAIL IN QUAY'S COFFIN
BECAUSE OF POLITICS.
Report of Messrs. Pettus and Harris
on the Clark C~ase-Ouster
Resolution Approved.
,ecial to the Indianapolis Journal.

Special to the indianapolis Journal.
WASHINGTON, April 25.-There was a
general feeling of relaxation at the Capitol
to-day as a consequence of yesterdays
high tension, and while the routine current
of legislation moved along in a sluggish
way the members generally preferred to
amble about and discuss the Quay case.
1t is a generally expressed opinion that
the Senate took a long stride in re-estab-
fishing itself in popular confidence and
esteem, especially now that it is certain
that Clark, of Montana, must go. Ger
tainly. the general approval which greets
the Senate's action in the Quay case cannot
be lost on the Senate, and theorists feel
that the influence will last for a long time
to come. Still, it is unnecessary for the
country to be blinded to the fact that
Quay's defeat was brought about by per-
sonal antipathy to him In a large measure.
True enough, the majority of the votes
on both sides were based on the constitu-
tional issue raised. The question of char
acter was never raised a single time in the
debate which preceded the vote. Again,
there is no doubt that some of the members
who voted against Quay were neither in
fiuenced by the Constitution nor his polit-
ical character. Hanna, for instance, when
the same constitutional question was
raised in the Corbett case, was in favor
of seating the applicant. Nobody will
seriously attribute his change of front in
the Quay case to any solicitude for the
Constitution. Hanna had political reasons
for driving a nail in Quay's coffin, and
he drove it good and hard. Kenney. of
Dalo yotad AGAINST seating COrhefr-
n this time he was paired in favor of
Quay. There were several cases of incon-
sistency. Aldrich, of Rhode Island, was in
favor of seating Corbett. M yet declined
to vote and was impaired in the Quay
case. This man, at least, could not get
his consent to vote to receive a man like
Quay. Hawley was for seating Corbett,
but he voted against Quay. His vote must
be attributed to an objection to Quay's
general character, for an old senator like
him, who had investigated the constitu-
tional issue, could not have possibly re-
ceived new light in this instance. Turner
belongs in the same category. But If an
tipathy to Quay caused senators to re-
verse their former attitude on the legal
issue, certain ii is that his personal friend
ships brought him strength. Platt of Con-
necticut, Stewart of Nevada, Carter of
Montana, Clark of Wyoming. Cullom of
Illinois, Davis of Minnesota, Deboe of Ken
lucky, Jones Of Nevada, Kenney of Della
ware, Nelson of Minnesota, Penrose of
PENNSYLVANIA, Shoup of Idaho, Warren of
Wyoming, are others who reversed them
selves by voting to seat Quay. Neverthe-
less, it is the Washington opinion that
Quay has been permanently disposed of as
a political factor. Pennsylvania members
say he is finished; only he may make a
good deal of trouble for awhile.