The commercial. (Union City, Tenn.) 190?-193?, 1902-03-07
WASHINGTON LETTER.

or us aLLenQanU evils HAS iHaFkou
the course of events in Washing
ION during the past week and
scenes have been enacted in the
United States Senate Chamber
more disgraceful than any than
have violated the dignity of that
body since the exciting days i'm
mediately before the war. The
two Senators from South Carolina,
TilIman and McLaurian, have en-
gagged in personal encounter on the
floor of the Senate, Wellington and
McComas, of Maryland, have in
dulged in accusations and recri-
limitations which must have ended
in violence butfor the prompt sup
preston of the former by the
chair and, as if to create fitting
climax to these deplorable happen
ings, the president of the Senaue,
Mr.. Frye, of Maine, by an as
sumption of autocratic power
never equalled in the national leg
islature, caused to be stricken
from the rolls the names of the
senator's from South Carolina.
AS soon as order could be re-
stored after'the brawl engaged in
by the South Carolina Senators on
last Saturday the Senate went into
executive session and unanimously
adiuged the offenders ''in con
tempt" On Monday when the roll
was called ON an amendment to the
Lodge Philippine bill, it became
evident that Senator Frye had
erased the names of the South
Carolinans from the rolls and an
immediate protest was entered by
the Democrats. Mr.. Bailey, of
Texas, appealed in an eloquent
speech to the Republican majority
not to establish such a precedent.
By an extremely logical presenta-
ton of the law he demonstrated
the unconstitutionality of the &C
tion of the chair. Pledging the
Democrats to act with the Repub-
licans in imposing any proper
punishment on the Senators who
had violated the dignity of the
Senate, he begged the Republicans
not to violate the constitution and
insult the state of South Carolina
by DISTINGUISHING her. Admitting
that by a thirds vote the Sen
ate might expel the offenders from
membership, because then the
governor of their State could send
others to take their places and ''the
sovereign state would not be de-
prived of her voice in the Senate"
he proved that If it layswithin the
power of the Senate to deprive a
state of suffrage for day it might
do it for years and, in fact, the
majority could, according to this
precedent, declare every member
of the minority Tin contempt" and
and so bar every democratic state
from voice or vote in the proceed
ings. Senator Bailey's argument
was clear, concise and eloquent but
his words fell upon ears that heard
not and in the midst of his speech
the chair recognized motion
from Senator Aldrich to proceed
with the regular order, the pre-
cedent was established and several
votes, including the final ballot by
which the Lodge bill was passed,
we're taken without South Caro-
lina's having an opportunity to
vote yea or nay.
On Tuesday, Senator Frye, evil
IDENTIFY appalled, at his work, an
nounced unoficially that he had
restored the missing names to the
Senate rolls but expressed the OPT
MON that they would not be per
mitted to vote. 1t is feared the
matter will not end until bitter
controversy has taken place in the
Senate. There is no attempt to-
palliate tie offense OF the South
Carolina Senators, as shown by
the readiness to vote for the reso
luton declaring them in contempt
and by the further expression, by
several Democratic Senators, of
the hope that, when this contro
versY is ended, they will both have
the good taste to resign; but the
blow at the rights of a sovereign
state and at the constitution itself
is one that the Democrats in Con-
gress cannot permit to pass with
out struggle. The Democrats of
both houses are aghastat the length
to which the Republicans in the
Senate have ozone. A Democratic !