The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1902-03-26
.RHEA'S SEAT STOLEN
REPUBLICANS GIVE 1T TO RENE
GADE DEMOCRAT.
BY ONLY TEN MAJORITY.
MIR. RHEA MADE SPIRITED DE-
TENSE OF HIS RIGHTS.

Two Republicans Voted with Demo
Gratis and Many Remained Away
or Declined to VOte-Mr. Rhea
Charges That Moss Registered as
Democrat ana Pledged Himself,
If Elected, to Go Into the Demo-
cratic Caucus-NOw He Says He<Is
i'm sympathy with Republicans on
Dominant Issues.
Washington, March 25-The House
to-day by majority of ten, unseated
Mr.. Rhea of Kentucky. a Democrat,
and seated in his place J. Mckenzie
Moss, who was formerly a Democrat,
but who, according to his brief, is In
accord with Republicans on the doani-
nant issues. The Republican majority
in the House is 43. While only two
Republicans, Hamburg and Vreeland of
New York, voted with the Democrats,
enough Republicans remained away or
declined to vote to reduce the MAJ
jority to ten. The conclusion of the
debate on the case was rather spirited,
Mr.. Rhea making an eloquent defense
of his right to the seat.
After the vote the House took up
the consideration of the army appro-
priation bill with the understanding
that general debate should continue
for ten hours. Mr.. Scarborough of
South Carolina discussed the Southern
election laws and MIR. Gaines the
Philippine situation.
Mr.. Rhea Takes High Ground.
MIR Rhea, in the course of his re-
marks, said the House was asked to
vote that the state of Kentucky had
set its seal upon a lie.
Il stand for Kentucky" he contin-
ued, for her manhood, for the hon
esty of her voters, and the purity of
her women, and not for the presidency
of the United States could l be in
duced to befoul the state which hon
ored me with an election to this body"
Mr.. Rhea made a severe arraign-
ment of Mr. Moss, the contestant say
ing that, although he now called him
self a Republican, that two weeks be-
fore the election he had registered as
a Democrat, and had pledged himself
If elected to go into the Democratic
caucus. With impassioned words he
challenged the contestant or his
friends to deny this statement.
elf 1t is denied" said Mr.. Rhea, II
will prove him to be the poor, misera-
BILE creature 1 know him to be-"
The SOuth's Election Laws.
Mr. Scarborough discussed the pro-
posed investigation of Southern cleo
ton laws, protesting against a revival
of sectional strife and bitterness. So.
far as the state of South Carolina was
concerned, he declared. her election
laws would stand the most rigid in
vestigation, but the Southern people
objected to an investigation by par
tisan, prejudiced committee. The negro
question in the South was a sociology
ical not a political problem, and the
revival of sectionalism could only re-
suit in making it's solution more diff
ficult.
Mr.. Gaines submitted some remarks
relative to the necessity of maintaining
a large standing army in the Philip
pines. He read a statement from
prominent United States army officer
who served in Cuba and the Philip
pines, but whose name he declined to
disclose, which declared that the Phil
ippines could not be held except at the
point of the bayonet unless the ma
tives were assured that ultimately
they should have Independence.