New-York tribune., 1920-04-02

20 o's'ranchise political party be-
sSuse. IN the opinion of the majority.
.ue Nv. oehets or that party are inimical to
.ne oest interests of the state as anv-
o","s pu. very serious blow aimed at
our representative institutions.
1T is hardly necessary for mo ~ .dd
.nat | am utterly opposed to the doc
0r'neS or socialism. but as LONG as the
Socialists observe the law and refra;n
Som advocating governmental changes
oy violence they are entitled to excr-
4'Ae tneir constitutional right Of free
apm OF opinion and of urging the adop-
non OF their views by CONSTITUTIONAL
methods" ''0''"'
!, Only three of the expelled Assem-
olymen were in town last nipht Thev
were Samuel A. De Witt, Samuel or
aho august ClaeSsens. All of tben,
issued statements on the action of the
Assembly. 0'' - ''e
Statements of Ousted Men
Mr. De Witt said "Since the time
herod and Cassius. throughout his
tory, ambitious politicians have VIII
Ten black pages of persecution. but
never dreamed that in an enlightened
lepuoilc. founded on tolerance and in
srta;. .ar.uuai iIeedom, men sent to repre-
torate, in perfectly legal and orderly
manner. would be expelled for :hejr
Precepts of conscience and faith in .
poiltlcal creed. In this hour of out'
rage can only say with Heine.
Aga'nse the battalions of stupidity the
so1s themselves often fight in vain"
Ms; Orr sald: The five Socialist AS
ousted from the New York State t'iI'e;,y 7 eo;s
la'ure 1t has been decreed that the
expression OF minority opinion shall he
oanlshed from the Assembly. This 10
,he hrst time that such thine hos
peen done in any state or city lepis.
i-isture IN this country
&C IS needless to say that this will
10y aoolish socialism. An idea never
can De abolished. The Kaiser and the
IN the attempt. "'-'
No plans have as yet been forum
lated to take this matter before the
court OF pubic opinion. The Commit
Tee OF Eight OF the Socialist party and
the Committee of Seventeen. represent-
Ing all labor, social and civic bodies
VIII meet shortly to take suitable &C.
ton. @o
We may have failed in Albany, but
the people OF New York State and the
nation in general have been fuIIv
aroused by this use OF naked power by
.he o'ncla!s temporarily intrusted with
the powers of government This ouster
WIN all It's lawlesSness and brutality.
mas demonstrated more clearly than
anything that the Socialists have
message of truth and justice which the
predatory interests are trying to keen
away from the people Truth crushed
TO earth will rise again."
Claessens's Statement
Mr.. Claessens's statement follows.
me action OF the Assembly is the be-
ginning Of the end Of Sweet and his
crowd. There is no question of the
lact that there was not an idea OF prin-
clpie involved in our expulsion. as far
as those who voted against us we're
concerned. 1t was nothing but mat
ter OF political trading Those who
voted for our expulsion forgot their
oath to the Constitution and their dntv
to the Republic. for they agreed to
oflng our heads to the feet of Speaker
Sweet in exchange for political favor
and patronage.
They sold the principles of liberty
ana tolerance, upon which this govern.
ment was founded. for thirty pieces OF
silver. II IS the story OF Judas all over
again But, like Judas, they will hang
themselves, for there is not the slight
est doubt in my mind that by their
action they have committed political
suicide.
Those who voted for our expulsion
aid SO, with very few exceptions. be-
cause they come from districts where.
had they taken any other action, they
"ouio nave met with political extinc-
ton"