The age-herald., 1902-03-26
Rhsa Unseated by Vote of 137 to 127 Taken on
 Party Lines
BITTERLY ARRA|GNED
 SUCCESSFUL CONTESTANT
Said He Had Signed Pledge to Support Democratic Nominee and ChaI- lenged Any Man on the
 Floor to Deny It.

Washington, March 25.-The House to- day, by majority of 10, unseated MT Rhea of Kentucky, a Democrat, and seated in his place J. Mckenzie Moss who was formerly a Democrat but who according to his belief, Is in accord with the Republican party on the dominant issues. The Republican majority in the House is 43. While only two Republi- cans-Hanbury and Vreeland of New York-voted with the Democrats, enough Republicans remained away or declined to vote to reduce the majority to To- The conclusion of the debate on the case was rather spirited, MT. Rhea making an elo- quent defense of hts right to the seat. After the vote the House began consid- eration of the army appropriation bill with the understanding that general de- bate should continue for ten hours MT. Scarborough of South Carolina dis cussed the Southern election laws and MT. Gaines of Tennessee the Philippine situation.
 Moss-Rhea Case Taken Up.
 The consideration of the contested cleo ton case of Moss vs. Rhea was resumed when the House met. Only two hours of debate remained. The first hour was oc- cupied by the contestee, MT. Rhea, in concluding the argument begun by him yesterday in defense of his right to his seat.
 He was given close attention by both sides of the House.
 Senators Blackburn and DeBoe of Ken lucky were upon the floor and listened to MT. Rhea's speech.
 The House, he said, was asked to vote that "the State of Kentucky had set Its seal upon a lie.'
 "I stand for Kentucky" he continued flor her manhood, for the honesty of hel voters and the purity of her women, ant not for the Presidency of these United States could I be induced to befoul th' state which honored me with an electior to this body"
 Just before MT. Rhea concluded Inc made a severe arrafgnment of MT. Moss the contestant, charging that, although he now called himself a Republican, that two weeks before the election he had reg istered as a Democrat and had pledged himself If elect ed, to go into the Demo- cratic caucus. With impassioned words he challenged the contestant or his friends to deny this statement
 of 1t is denied" said he. "I will prove him to be the poor, miserable creature l know him to be-"
 Mann Called Rhea to Order.
 MT. Mann, Republican. Illinois, who was in charge of the case, called MT Hhea to order for the language. but subsequent ly withdrew his point of order, ana soon afterward MT. Rhea concluded.
 In doing so he proclaimed his adher- ance to the principles of the Democratic party and said he would not indulge in cringing appeal to the other sioe TOT mercy. q do not want you to violate your sense of duty" he said, addressing the Republican side. 'If it IS your Judgment that I was not rightfully elected to this seat vote against me, but If as honest men you do not believe that the election of the contest ant has been established. l ask you to rise above party and declare your judgment by your vote.'
 Mir Rhea was warmly congratulated by his party associates when he took his seat
 MT. Gaines. Republican, of West Vir- ginia. followed with a forty minute speech in support of the claims of the contes- tant Replying to MT. Rhea's attack on MT Moss politics, MT. Gaines said the committee which reported against the contestee did not care whether the con- testant was a Republican or Demo- crat The debate on the case was closed by MT. Mann with a strong appeal in fa- yor of the claims of the contestant to the seat.
 Mislead the House.
 "In the course of his remarks MT Mann took occasion to declare that MT. Fox of Mississippi had mislead the house. His statement drew a denial from Mr. Fox so indignant and so often repated that the speaker was obliged to call him to order.'
 At the conclusion of MT. Manns speech the vote was taken on the substitute reso- luton offerd by the minority which de- clared that MT. Rhea was entitled to re- tain his seat. The resolution was lost 127 to 137.
 Two Republicans, Hansbury and vree- land of New York. voted for Rhea.
 A number of other Republicans did not vote This reduced the Republican majority from 43 to 10.
 The resolution declaring MT. Moss en- titled to the seat was then adopted with out division, the demand for roll call being demanded at the request of MT. Rhea. There was a round of applause from the Republican side, as Mir. Moss came forward to take the oath which was met with misses from the Democratic side.
 The House then went into committee of the whole and entered upon considera- ton of the army appropriation bill. It was agreed that detailed debate should be run for ten hours.
 MT. Hull. Republican, Iowa, who was in charge of the bill, explained its pro- visions briefly. It carried $90. S80, 934 being $11, ,025. .005 less than the estimates.
 Defended the South.
 MT. Scarborough, Democrat, South Car olina, discussed the proposed investiga- ton of southern election laws, protesting earnestly against a revival of sectional strife and bitterness.
 So far as the state of South Carolina was concerned he declared that the elec- tion laws would stand the most rigid in- vestigation but the southern people ob- tected to an investigation by a partisan, prejudiced committee. The negro question in the south, he said. was a sociological, not political problem. and the revival of
 (contlnued on Second Paee)