The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1907-03-02

The Smoot case about which so much
has been said and printed recently,
and which has held its share OF the
public attention, particularly among
/ the women Of the country for the past
four years, Is now matter OF history.
I The Senate decided that good grounds
DO not exist for the exclusion OF tine
Utah Senator from his seat. No con-
test before the American Senate has
ever attracted so much and so long
continued interest as this. II has cost
the Senate more than $4,000 to ju-
dicially determine that the protests
against Smoot were groundless and
that his title to his seat was witaout
a blemish.
Mr.. Smoot was elected January ..
1908 and took his seat Marcn 5, fol-
lowing. Twenty-four days after his
lection the first protest against his
seat was received by the Senate. Be-
fore the end Of the case over one mil
lion petitions were received with a
total Of more than two million sigma
lures. The committee on privileges
and elections began its hearings Feb
ruary %, 1904, and 103 witnesses were
heard. their testimony comprising
several printed volumes. aggregating
1891 pages. One man alone. Charles
NJ. owen, who aided largely in gather
ing evidence against Smoot, received
over $1,000 in fees. AS practicallyail
the witnesses were from Utah the mile
age and attendance fees In each case
ran up into large figures. When the
committee reported the resolution de-
claring that Smoot was not entitled to
HIS seat 1t stood to Z, but on the final
vote in the Senate two Of this eight re-
rsed themselves. The Senator was
represented before the committee byI
able counsel, including Senator elect
Borah, Of Idaho, who will succeed Sem
ator Dubois, one Of the chief prosecu-
tors Of Smoot. Those seeking to oust |
Smoot were represented by some Of
the best lawyers in the country. among
those being John G. Carlisle, former
Secretary Of the Treasury.
No matter how busily the preslden-
tial bee may buzz about the chamber !
Of the L. S. Senate, there are six
senators who are immune. These men
by reason Of one little clause in the
Constitution, nave got as high up in
political world as 1t is possible for
them to attain. The Constitution pro-
vldes that none but native born Amer
leans may be President.
Senator GaSinger, Of New Hamp-
shire, was born in Canada and emf
grated to this country at a very early
age Mr.. Nelson, Of Minnesota, as
his surname "Knute" would indi-
cate, is native Of Norway, that stur-
dy people who have developed and
made those great states Of the north
adjacent to tine Mississippi what they
are. Mr.. Wetmore, the Rhode Island
millionaire, and Mr.. Hilliard o. Ne
braska, like Mr.. Gallinger, Is a native
If Canada. Mr.. Sutherland, of Utah,
the Gentle colleague Of Mr.. Smoot
was born on the English isle, While
Mr.. Patterson, Of Colorado Is proud Of
the fact that he is a native Of the "old
sod" coming over from Ireland when
he was but nine years Of age. 1t may
be added that a large contingent Of
Senators now representing western
States were born in the East and in
their early manhood, or as childreno
accompanying their parents, following
the injunction Of the early forties that
Westward the star Of the Empire
took its way"
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