West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1902-03-06
WASHINGTON LETTER.
Senatorial Dignity Badly Shattered
and the Constitution a
Back Number.
Reciprocity a Chimera Invented by
Blaine 10 Save Protected Interest
Prom Tariff Reduction.

From Tariff Reduction.
WAsHINGToN, March /, Ioo2.-
Republican autocracy with many of
its attendant evils has marked the
course of events in Washington dur
ing the past week and scenes have
been enacted in the United States
Senate Chamber more disgraceful
than any that have violated the dig
nifty of that body since the exciting
days Immediately before the war.
The two Senator'S from South Caro-
lima, Tillman and McLaurin, have
engaged in a personal encounter on
the floor of the Senate, Wellington
and McComas, of Maryland, have
INDUCED in accusation and recrimi-
nations which must have ended in
violence but for the prompt sup
preston of the former by the chair,
and as if to create fitting climax
to these deplorable happenings, the
President of the Senate, Mr.. Frye,
of Maine, by an assumption of auto
cratic power never equaled in the
National Legislature, caused to be
stricken from the rolls the names of
the Senators from South Carolina.
I I /
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
adjudged the offenders sin 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 Carolinians
from the rolls and an immediate
protest was entered by the Demo
Gratis. Mr.. Bailey of Texas, APP
pealed in an eloquent speech to the
Republican majority not to estab-
lish such precedent. BY an ex-
tremely logical presentation of the
law he demonstrated the unconsti-
tutionality of the action Of the
chair Pledging the Democrats to
act with the Republicans in i'm
posing 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 two thirds
vote the Senate 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 deprived of her voice
in the Senate" he proved that if it
lay within 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 pcecedent, declare every
member of the minority Sin con-
tempt" and. so bar every Demo
cratic State from voice or vote in
the proceedings. Senator Bailey's
argument was clear, concise and
eloquent, but his words tell upon
ears that heard not, and in the midst
of his speech the chair recognized a
motion from Senator Aldrich to pro-
coed with the regular order, the pre-
cedent was established, and several
votes, including the final ballot by
which the Lodge bill was passed,
were taken without South Cardinals
Senators having an opportunity to
vote yea or nay.
/ I !
On Tuesday, Senator Frye, evil
IDENTITY appalled, at his work, an
nounced unoffcially that h had re-
stored the missing names to the
Senate rolls, but expressed the opin-
ion that they would not be permitted
to vote. 1t is feared the matter
will not end until a bitter contro.
versy has taken place in the Senate.
There is no attempt to palliate the
ofense Of the South Carolina Sena-
tors, as shown by the readiness to
vote for the resolution declaring
them in contempt, and by the fur
Their expression, by several Demo
cratic Senators, Of the hope that.