Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-01-16
ASKS DEPEW TO RESIGN
SENATOR BRACKETS REsoLU-
TIoN INTRODUCED AT ALBANY.

The New York senate today defeated by
vote OF "a to /, Senator Brackets resolu-
ton requesting the resignation of United
states Senator Chauncey NJ Depew The
democrats were excused from voting. Sem
ator Bracket alone supported the reso-
fution. This action followed a long debate
opened by Senator Bracket in a speecb of
ah iioor and quarter. in which he scath-
'hsiy attacked Senator Depew with an in
cldental denunciation of Senator Thomas G.
Plat
ALBANY, n. Y, January 16-The debate
oh senator Brackets resolution, de a,and-
Ing the resignation of United States ,saha-
tor Chauncey NJ. Depew, was begun in the
state senate today in the presence of a
crowded chamber. The resolution came I'D
as special order early in the session.
AFTER II was read Mr., Grady, the minority
leader. explained the attitude of the demo-
cratic senators. He said they were In no.
wise responsible for sending Mr.. Depew to
the United states Senate, and the RESPONSE
oiiity or recalling Mr.. Depew must be on
the party That sent him there. The demo-
crats would remain passive and listen to the
oeoate, and any individual member may
then be influenced one way or another
Ihis course. Senator Grady said, was pur-
sued after due deliberation and would add
10 the quiet of the day
Senator Brackets Remarks.
senator Bracket declared in opening the
debate that he had introduced the resolu
ton In obedience to what he believed to be
the solemn demand of right-thinking peo-
pie of the state" He denied that he had
the slightest wish to humiliate Senator De-
pew more than was necessarily implied In
any possible resolution of the kind Ha as
serted that there was lack of confidence
IN the senator named which had been caus-
ed by recent disclosures He denied the as
sertion that 1t was not within the province
OF the senate to pass a resolution on a
subject in reference to which IL had no an
tnorlty 10 enforce action and cited resolu-
lolis ADOPTED on the Venezuelan situation
ana the coal strike several years ago.
want to say to you and to the people
of the state" continued Senator Rrsckett
mat until a more righteous conception of
public duty shall prevail, we are without
nope nope 1or the future; that until the great vi
rile manhood of the state shall stand to
the proposition that he who offends in the
performance of his public duty must suf-
fer the punishment meet for his offense we
can expect little of respect for law, little or
no regard for public honor and virtue and
nave taken the first long steps toward con-
doning crimes of whatever kind"
senator Bracket declared that although
ne mad voted for Senator Depew he had
been opposed to his reelection to the SEN
ate because he had believed him unfit for
the ONCE and represented unwhoIesome
forces. Any senator present. he said ought
70 blush for shame at the Representation of
his state in the United States Senate by
either of the present senator's He disclaim-
eo the slightest responsibility for Senator
Platts election and said he would support
Init
him to resign.
Owed Service as Director
Senator Bracket insisted that no serv-
Ice performed by Senator Depew for the
Equitable Life Assurance Society during
the twenty years of his $4,000 retainer
had been other than what he owed as di.
rector of the society The claim that tb,s
enormous sum was paid for legal services
excited only laughter and contempt
Re1errlnS to the so-called yellow dog
funds of certain Insurance coSn,o,ias r
said: --~
Out of this fund there were maid tbon-
sands of dollars in one campaign toward
the expenses of one of the political par
ties' as one says, to save the honor of
the nation The honor of the nation
the honor of the nation-of which honor
these men were so solictous that they
forgot their own So Solicitous of the ma
tonal honor that they We're ready to and
your money and mine-of the money of
poor men, of widows. of orphans, eut not
a cent of their own.
Let us have done with this shame and
pretense of having used the stolen funds
for honorable or necessary purposes II is
no answer to the stealing that the money
stolen was well spent. But there is not
even this excuse here. 1t was spent In a
way that it was thought would greatly ag-
grandize the men who directed the spend
ing, and it did. 1t spent to keep the
Depews in the upper house of the Con-
gress of the United States for selfish pur-
poses, and 1t did.
Argument for Reelection
Again, 1 charge the truth to be that
the chief argument a year ago advanced
for the reelection of this very senator we
are now discussing was that he had been
instrumental in raising large sums of mon
ey from these very insurance corporations
sor use in the election then just over and
it was broadly intimated in more than
one conference on the subject If, indeed
not actually stated and argued, that such
contributors were made upon the express
understanding that he was to be returned
TO the Senate, where he could continue to
protect in their places these men who thus
gave away your money and mine.
IF there Is here on the floor any tirnid
soul among the majority who thinks that
this recital will hurt his party 1 want to
say 10 MIN ana 10 every one or my party
associates, to say it kindly, but firmly
that If we do not expose and rid ourselves
and our party of transactions of that
kind there will presently be no party to
be injured.
You turn in vain the pages of the his
tory of the body in which he has a seat
to find single thing that he has done
worthy of the state. His conception of
public duty has been confined to society
functions. and never risen to the level
of even ordinary craftsmanship"
Senator Bracket bitterly arraigned Sem
ator Depew as having been knowingly
prominent figure in and tolerator of a
system of loot and public debauchery, per-
haps even to the courts themselves, which
tended to undermine the very life of tha
nation.'