Evening star., 1900-04-25

The present Senate is emitting itself to
lasting honor and remembrance. Ii is deal
ing searleSsIy and wisely with two evils
affecting itself. and is thereby lending its
valuable ai1 to their ultimate uprooting.
1t voted yesterday against the admission
OF a man whose claim 10 recognition was
not a certificate of election from the body
charged under the law with the election of
a United States senator, but a certificate
of appointment from personal friend and
political lieutenant who happened to be oc-
cupyine the office of governor of the COM
monwealth in interest. And this vote will
be followed in a few days now by Il vote
declaring vacant a seat which was obtained
by the influence of an enormous corruption
fund Mr.. Quay and Mr.. Clark thus walk
the plank almost arnl-in-arm. The specta-
Gle is one which gives assurance of better
things, and the country, without distinction
of party will be heartened and refreshed
by it.
Promptly, as was to be expected, the
friends of Mr.. Quay are charging that he is
the victim of persecution; that his personal
enemies, rather than the constitutional
question involved, triumphed in the vote
thrown against him. They may take that
line if they choose. but it does not seem to
yield them anything. The fight for MIR.
Quay was almost exclusively personal. Mr..
Hoar. Mr. Spouner, and some others sup
ported him upon their Interpretation of the
Constitution, but the outside pressure
brought 10 bear to influence a decision in
Mr.. Quay's favor bore no more relation to
the constitutional question involved than to
tie mystery of the philosophers stone. 1t
was ali for Quay the individual, the polit-
ical worker and manager. and not for Quay
fb.s holder of a of
pointment seeking the settlement of much
Yexed question. So that if Mr. Quay was
beaten personal grounds he was beaten
at his own game. He staked everything on
his political pull and personal popularity
and lost
Nor does it lie in the mouths of the
friends of MIR. Quay to taunt this senator
or that with changing his position,
fusing to change his position. Mr.. Hanna
who voted for the admission of Mr.. Cor
bett. paired against the admission of Mr..
Quay. In the Oregon case the legislature
which should have elected a senator was
never organized. In the Pennsylvania case
the legislature sat for the full term, but
made no choice because Mr.. Quay who
could not De elected refused to permit an
election TO take place. Mr.. Vest although
a warm personal friend Of Mr.. Quay, voted
agtinst him strictly because of convictions
as To the law which he had always held
surely a very fine and manly stand, deserv-
ing Of compliment rather than censure.
But Mr.. Quay himself voted against Mr.
Corbett. On what ground? On personal
ground? Then, admitting the Quay COM
plant, the Senate has done no more to Mr..
Quay than Mr. Quay did to Mr.. Corbett
On constitutional ground? Then Mr. Quay
presented much weaker case than Mr..
Corbett did.
But Mr.. Quay, on any ground. was prop
eriy excluded from the Senate. The people
of Pennsylvania are to be congratulated on
the result. and in return they owe it to
themselves and 10 the country to commits
sion for so high and responsible a post
some man altogether worthy of it and of
the countrys confidence