West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1903-05-07
A PARTISAN CONGRESS
II Unseated Mr.. Butler With
out Calling the Roll.
MOST TYRAsEIoAL PROCEEDING.

Jadge ne Armond'. scathiag ne
buLe OF the Repabiicans-Recef
er- of stolen Good. ON a rar with
the Thtef--No other such scene ror
Many Congresses.
No greater political crime has ever
been committed by the house OF repre-
scntatives than the unseating OF James
J. Butler, congressman from the Twelfth
district OF Missouri. Ii was partisan
ship run mad without the usual but
lame excuse OF political expediency. IL
is the moro extraordinary when the
facts are considered At the election
I'm November. 1000. Mr.. Butler was
elected 20 the Fifty-seVeuth congress.
receiving 2.iOt votes 10 1851 for VIII
Horton, his Republican opponent. when
congress met In December, 1901. con.
test was instituted by Horton The
evidence showed there wcw manifest
frauds on both sides. ana on June IS.
1902. the house declared that no valid
election had been held. thereby neces-
sitating a special election 10 fili the va
cancy. AZ the general election In No
vembcr, 1902. MIR. Butler was rcnoml.
mated TO fill the vacancy for the short
term and also for the next regular term
beginning March 4. His opponent for
the short term was G. II. Wagner, the
returns showing the result 60 be for
Butler 1891 votcse for Wagner S,30H
votes, or 1913 majority. At the same
election @. ID. Reynolds was the Rcpub-
L.. -. A.
next congress, and Butler was also
elected by over 00o0 majority.
A contest was commenced by Wag-
oner for the short term. aud this In the
case that has just been so unfairly de-
cided by the Republican majority. II
Is quite possible that some frauds oc.
CURED on both sides I'm these elections,
Unfortunately. there are but few dis.
tricts In large cities where some ilie-
gal votes arc not cast, but that 1000
majority was all made up OF fraudu-
lent votes IA impossible, and the evil
dence certainly does not show it. In
fact, the evidence does show that many
questionable votes were cast for the
Republican candidate. The leading
Democrat OF the judiciary committee
Judge De Almond, whose ability and
honesty are admitted by both sides
thus denounced the infamy OF the pro
ccedings:
''TalSe the seat II you choose to take
Il; steal it II you choose TO steal Il; rob
the man who was elected n you choose
TO rob him; throw upon the people
OF that district. who twice have re-
turned Mr.. Butler 90 congress. the rep
resentation OF n man whom they have
repudiated; bring this man I'm here;
associate with him upon terms OF
equality for the remaining days OF this
session; welcome him 10 your bosOma
Hs man not at all entitled 20 the seat,
but man fully entitled 60 political
fellowship with those who would steal
1t for him-thc recipient OF stolen goods
placed upon precise par with those
who stole the goods"
He further, In reply 10 the tnunts Of
the Republicans that time had been
frittered away In roll calls, said:
THE gentleman on the other side
suggests that time has been FILTERED
away. Aye, the time has been well
employed which has been used to delay
the hour OF the perpetration, the com
pletion OF this inlquity. And let gen
tlemen understand that until the 9Th
day Of March, until the speaker from
the chair declares this house adjourned
sine die, there Will be done on this side
whatever can be done dccently under
the rules OF the house, I'm accordance
with appropriate legislative procedure,
to carry TO the country the fact 20
stamp upon the record, to show TO fu-
ture generations, that we are not going
to tolerate or condone this kind OF lar
ceny.
Take the seat and pay for Il. Take
the seat and be accountable for the
wrong that gives II 20 you. Gather all
that you can by what you get out OF
Wagner, gather all that you can by
what you get out OF this act, but pay
the penalty, answer the responsibility
IL legislation fails, II time which you
think ought not to be consumed Is con-
sumed I'm roll calls, recoIlect when you
vote to steal Mr.. Buffers seat that you
are voting 10 kill the measures that
will be killed I'm consequence OF that
act"
At every opportunity during Judge
De Almonds speech there was appla use
by the Democrats, and at It's conclusion
the cheering was prolonged, in which
the galleries Joined. That the Demo
Gratis carried out their threat Of com.
pelling the regular order and allowing
no bills TO be passed without the roll
calls the rules would allow Is now
matter OF record aud will imprint the
ultra partisan proceedings OF unseat.
ing Mr.. Butler on the minds OF the yot-
ers Of the United States
The Republican majority OF the Elf
ty-seyenth congress have many sins OF
commission and omission TO answer
for, but the unsoating OF Mr.. Butler
without quorum present and without
n roll call Is unparalleled I'm the history
OF congress. The old saying that whom
the gods wish to destroy they first
make mad Is possibly the reason Tor
this extraordinary exhibition.