The Williamson enterprise. [volume] (Williamson, W. Va.) 1907-1911, 1911-02-02
Thursday, February 2. 1911.
THE CHARLESTON MIDDLE.

the matter might be intelligently
presented to our readers.
When Senator Kidd, the old
est Der of the Senate by
virtue of the constitutional pro-
visions, called that body to order,
on the day fixed by law, fifteen
Republicans Senators absented
themselves, thereby breaking
the quorum of that body, there
being thirty members of the
Senate.
Immediate negotiations were
opened between the Republican
and Democratic members to
effect compromise, and after
few days dickering nothing
being accomplished, to avoid ar
rest and compel attendance in
the Senate chamber, the fifteen
Republican Senators esca pc d
oyer night to Ohio and remained
in the city of Cincinnati until
only few days ago when they
returned to Charleston under
promise of immune from arrest.
!rxs
Since their return Fl. d. Hat
field, senator from Mcdowell
County, by agreement between
the Democrat and Republican
Senators, has been elected presi-
dent of the Senate.
During the absence Of the
fifteen Republican Senators in
Ohio, the Democrat mem bers,
fifteen in all, attempted to organ
iZe the senate in the manner fol-
lowing: In the upper senatorial
district, Hearne, Republican,
was elected on the face of the
return over Caldwell, Democrat,
but Caldwell filing notice Of con
test, to which Hearne failed to
reply or make defense, as re-
CURED by law, or to take the
oath of Office as required under
the constitution, Theroupon
Caldwell presented himself in
the halls of the Senate chamber
and demanded that he be sworn
in as Senator from that district,
and the Senate as a body, taking
the position that Hearne had
failed to take the oath of office.
as well as to present any defense
to the contest, he had thereby
abandoned his Office; that Cald-
well was entitled to the same by
reason of his contest, and there
upon he was sworn in. this Civ
ing the Senate sixteen beers
and quorum, which immedi-
ately elected Senator Kidd as
president of the body, and the
Senate was declared duly organ
lied. But this Governor Glass
cock refused to recognize.
Thus organized and during
the absence of the fifteen Re-
publican Senators, both houses
proceeded to elect two United
States Senators, w. E. Chiffon,
of Charleston, for the SIX year
term, and Clarence Watson, of
Baltimore, to fill the unexpired
term of Senator Elkins, deceased.
The people of this state have
generally looked upon the mem
bers of the Senate as heightened,
able and intelligent men, and no
matter what the lower house has
done, they have looked to the
Senate as being safe and sane
and to be relied upon in protect
ing our constitutional provisions.
In this instance we are first
met with compromising negor
tiation" between the senator's of
the different parties. The stu
alton known on the race tracks
and among prize fighters as
jockeying for positions. To our
mind it was a most unseemly sit
uation for either the Republicans
or the Democrats to thus jockey
away the peoples rights.
Following the fast on this un-
dignified situation, we have the
spectacle of fifteen men elected
to Office, eleven of whom have
been sworn to support the con-
sfitution and the laws of their
state, escaped in theJ night time
from their own commonwealth
to avoid the exercise of those