The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1901-11-22
SENATOR McCOMAS' LABORS WILL
BE IN VAIN.

say were perpetrated at the polls on
November 5th. They claim the evil
dence, which they will collect will be
put in shape to bring before the COM
mittee of Privileges and Elections of
the United States Senate, when the
Senator from this State, who is to be
chosen at the January session, pre-
sents his credentials. 1t seems to be
the concensus of opinion that ex.Sen-
ator Arthur P. German will be chosen
the successor of Mr.. Wellington. Ap-
propos to this proposed contest, Mr..
Frank A. Richardson who is one of
the best informed newspaper cores
pondents in the United States, writes
the Sun from Washington, the fol-
lowing:
Interested, but not theless amused,
comment has been caused among ex-
perienced politicians here over the
proposed action of the Republican
State Committee of Maryland.
"Mr. German may we'll laugh in
his sleeve, and out of his sleeve, if he
wishes, over the dreadful threats to
keep him out of the United States
Senate. This, without any reference
whatever to the charges of trick
ballots, the throwing out of votes,
etc, for more or less of these charges
may possibly be proved, but under
the circumstances, whether more or
less, it will not have the slightest
bearing on the question of Mr.. Cor
mans admission to the Senate. l
can scarcely fancy the members of
the Republican State Committee lack
the intelligence not to be fully aware
of this, and hence conclude as every
one else here does, that fierce pro-
nunciamentos are meant only for
political effect.
"If, as intimated, the sum total Of
the efforts which the Republican
managers are about to institute will
be to bring case against Mr.. Cor
man, they may as well spare them
selves the trouble. Anyone in the
least familiar with the Senate'scourse
of procedure in contested election
cases knows perfectly we'll that the
Senate will not take more than the
most perf1nctory notice of charges
of the character set forth, even should
they be we'll sustained, which may be
considered as exceedingly doubtful.
The Senate has set too many pre-
cedents in this respect to depart from
them. If Mr.. German comes to the
Senate of the United States with Gre
dentials properlyauthenticatedb blythe
Maryland authorities he will take
his seat without question. Should
the Republican committee submit the
charges which are foreshadowed they
will be received as a matter ofcourse
and referred to the Committee on
Privileges and Elections. Just as
as likely as not they will never be
heard of again, or they may be re-
ported back to the Senate with the
statement in effect that they relate
the matters over which the Senate
has no jurisdiction. There is no
analogy whatever between the case
of Senator Clark, of Montana, and
that of Mr.. German. The charges
against Senator Clark were based
entirely on allegations that he had
paid for the votes of members of the
Legislature. The charges covered
subjects which most clearly came
within the purview of the Senate.
Recognizing this, and in the face of
certain adverse action by the Senate,
Mr.. Clark forestalled its action by
resigning.
AS, according to the general under
standing, no competitor will appear
against Mr.. German, and practically
every Democratic member of the
Legislature is pledged in advance to
vote for him, no issue can arise as to
the action of that body.
So much for the legal and technical
aspect of the case. But so far as Mr..
German is concerned, there is a per-
sonalelement entering into considera-
ton of a character so strong as to
require legal and technical obstruc-
tions of a much more than ordinary
nature to overcome, l do not pro-
pose to enter into causes, but merely
to state facts. Mr.. German, in his
relations to the national leaders of
the Republican party, occupies posi-
ton unique and entirely exceptional
in American politics. Although a
Democrat and unquestionably for the
last 10 years of his service in the
Senate the leader on the Democratic
side, he was on intimatepersonaland
it may be said almost afectionate
terms with all the leaders on the other
side ofthe chamber. Whatever agree
ments, whatever bargains, what
ever compromises were consummated
between the two sides ofthe chamber
they were always effected through
Mr.. German alone, as it was rarely
if ever the Republicans took the
trouble to see any other Democratic
Senator. Whea Mr.. German went
out of the Senate a wave of regret
swept through the whole Republican