The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1902-02-26


the constitution. short of a
sentence of expulsion, to withhold from
any state it's due participation in the
votes of the senate. had merit in it,.
While the senate is the judge of the
standards of conduct of it's own men,
bers, the sovereign rights of the state
to full representation fOrbids any
infringement of the voting power Of
the individual senator whose commits
sion is legal and whose adjudgment in
contempt has not been followed by a
verdict of expulsion. AS the Tillman
of the senate to deprive a senator of
the right to vote on pending measures
of legislation by the mere fact of ad-
judging him in contempt, there would
be no guarantee of the proper repreSen-
tation of any state in the deliberations
of the senate. A majority might thus
at any time enforce closure-=on mi
nority, or a minority, taking advan-
tage of the temporary absence of some
members of the majority. proceed to
revolutioniZe the majority by voting
enough of its members in contempt to
organization.
The conduct of Tillman merits the
penalty of expulsion. 1t is tlagrantly
bully-like and defiant. Even worse
than his fist fight on the floor of the
senate was his audacious refusal to
bp &, ion to
tend the dinner in honor of Prince
Henry, an invitation extended prior to
Saturdays disgrace. The impropriety
of a senator seeking to represent at an
official function committee of Il body
which had just adjudged him in con-
tempt should have been recognized by
him instantly to say nothing of the
consideration due to the president OF
the United States and his guest But
not only did Tillman refuse the oppor-
tunity which the president gave to him
to get out of the dilemma gracefully;
he then followed up the presidents
compulsory withdrawal of the invita-
ton with such coarse insult to the pres
ident and with such an exhibition of
bravado and contemptuous disregard
of the proprietes of his situation that
if the senate shall not now rid itself
of his presence it will in the eyes of
decent people stand as sponsor for his
standards of decorum.
The observation-disclosures of Tillman as
an Individual member of the senate
did not, however. affect the merit OF
the constitutional question which was
raised as to his right TO vote pend
ing the infliction of sentence for mis-
conduct The debate in the Quay case
clearly established that a vacancy
in the senate was not contem-
plated by the founders as something to
be encouraged and prolonged, but as
something TO be remedied at the first
possible moment. That the senate has
any right by mere adjudgment in
contempt to disfranchise a common-
wealth is on It's face preposterous, since
1t visits on many people who are them
selves innocent of wrongdoing a pen
atty hardly to be exceeded in its sever
ity--the penalty of virtual disfranchise-
'iNi'' nat tllN SNiltliS may say W Tie
state which sends to it an Objectionable
member; I'VE will not permit such a
man TO remain in our body: send an
other, who is not Objectionable, or do
without representation is another mat
ter In that case there is no disfran-
The state affected can have
representation II 1t takes care in its
selection. But in the case under
at Washington, no OBJ
was afforded to South Caro-
lima to change her representatives. on
the contrary, without notice to the
people of their state the senators from
that state, pending the investigation of
their misconduct, We're denied the right
of participation i'm important leglsla,
tlon directly and materially affecting
their constituents.
Against such a ruling the minority
had a good right to protest. The ma
jorlty was wise in not ignoring the
points of manifest justice in their pro-
test.
The name of William Nj. Laffan now
appears at the head of the editorial
page of the New York Sun, indicating
that control of that paper has passed