Evening star., 1900-04-26
SCOTT CASE DEBATED
Mr.. Pettus Attacks Claim Of the
West Virginia Senator.
DEPENDED BY TURLEY and CHANDLER
House Resumes Discussion of the
Postal Bill.
SPECIAL NAIL FACILITIES

A resolution introduced by Mr.. Perkins
(Cal.) calling on the Secretary of the Treas
ury to send to the Senate the imports by
months and the rates of duty under the re-
cprocal agreement that went into effect in
1898 was adopted.
Mr.. Pettus (Ala j then addressed the Sem
ate in opposition to the resolution declaring
that Nathan B. Scott is entitled to his seat
as senator from West Virginia. Mr.. Pet
tus presented the minority report of the
committee OIL privileges and elections" in
the Scott case. being the only member of
the committee who declined to sign the ma
jority report. In opening his discussion
Mr.. Pettus referred to statement of Mr..
Chandler in the Quay case to the effect
that the votes of some senators were cast
against Mr.. Mantle in 1893 because he was
silver man, and the votes Of others. in re-
taliation were cast: against Mr.. Corbett
TWO years ago because he was a gold STAN
dard advocate. He hoped the statement
was not true but If it were, those senators
were unfit to act as judges in such a case
and unworthy to hold seats in the Senate.
desire. said he, ito speak to senators
VINO can decide fairly, upon their own judg
ment and not upon caprice and whim." He
begged senators, therefore. to lay aside any
personal considerations in this case, and
decide 1t upon it's merits proposition of
law.
Mr.. Pettus then entered upon an argu-
E nent IN support Of his position that Mr..
SCOTT was not entitled to his seat, following
closely the lines of his report
AFTER having been Interrupted by Mr. Nc
Sonas 10 correct a statement of fact. Mr.
iettGs refused with some heat to permit an
interruption by Mr.. Spooner (Wis.), who
DESIRED 10 ask question.
snail not yield for debate of this oues-
tloh' SAID the Alabama senator "It is
not lalr ana 1t is not just for senator to
lneeirrupt aoi an argument for the purpose of
seeing whether he can debate the question
| petter than the man on the floor"
| think, said Mr.. Spooner, cit would
nase peeh courteous in the senator to have
question" h-' W osh d
| On no. returned Mr.. Pettus, cit would
| not be; l have heard the senator debate
posittons after asking question l took
| d necessary precaution. L do not approve
| OF THIS practice of interruptinesa arsI1meots
peneVe that senator has a right to In
terrupt another to obtain information o,.
| 70 correct m1ssta atements the senator
from maryland interrupted me, but this
| way of just bulging into the middle OF an
| argument is excessively bad manners even
| II IL does SO often occur in the United
| States Senate 11aughteD.
| Mr.. Pettus denounced the work in the
| legislature.
| Later he pointed out that at one point
OF the proceedings Mr.. Scott needed just
| one more vote. "There are some very
| smart people in West Virginia." said he,
'and they went Immediately to the bar.
| gain counter
Further along Mr.. Pettus sharply criti-
| cised the action of the governor Of West
| Virginia In entering into the case In the
| interest of Mr Scott.
How about Aiabama?" inquired Mr.. Ell
| kfns of West Virginia facetiously
| I'm not discussing Alabama now" re-
| piled MI PettULs. fBut the senator's pic
ture is in this thing, too. Don't get i'm
patient. Fllt get to you after awhile. -
| Laughter)
Mr. Pettus maintained that the case had
not been fairly investigated by the privi-
leges and elections committee.
| Senators said he, until you belong to
| that debauched class described by the SEN
| ator from New Hampshire (Chandler) who
| vote on cases of this kind from whim's
caprice you must vote on the law and the
| evidence"
| Adverting to Mr.. Chambers statement, he
said: 4 never said 1t. and God forbid that
l should ever have cause to say it." In
conclusion. Mr.. Pettus entered motion
that the report and resolutions in the case
of Mr.. Scott be referred to the committee
on privileges and elections with instruc.
tions thoroughly to investigate the case.
In Favor of Scott.
Mr.. Turley Tenn) followed with an argu
ment in support of Mr.. Scott's right to re-
tain his seat. AS member Of the commit
tee on privileges and elections he had in
vestigated thoroughly the case and planted
himself squarely on the majority report OF
the committee. He maintained that Mr.
Pettus argument, in effect that the Senate
had authority to inquire into the member
ship of the legislature was not sound, a:
there would not be a single transaction O.
that legislature which, if the doctrine O.
| the Senator from Alabama was correct
could not be entered into by the Senate
This would be subversive of many of tn,
cherished principles of the democratic
| party, and he appealed to all senators t.
| stand hV the raDOrt of the committee
Mr.. Chandler, chairman of the committed
on privileges and elections, followed with
| statement of the facts in the Scott case
He presented an explanation of the agree
| ment entered into by the republicans an(
the democratic leaders in the Legislature
| and in the state of West Virginia. and de