Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1922-12-16
Irregularities in 1920
Election Given as
Basis Of Action
House in Confusion when Har.
rison Charges Republican
Party in Virginia Based on
patronage Declares Has
rroot Offices Were Sold for
what Money There was in
Inem-Says Rep. Slemp is
Leader

Washington. Dec. 15-Represen-
tatiVe Thomas w. Harrison, Demo-
crat or the seventh Virginia district.
was ousted today from the House on
the ground of irregularities in the
1920 election in his district.
After ousting Harrison by a vote
OF 2o2 TO 100. the House seated John
Paul, Republican contestant, who
VIII serve until March 4.
In parting shot at his Republi
can foes, Representative Harrison.
charged that the life of the Repub-
llcan party in his state was based
on patronage and then proceeded to
read letters which he declared
proved incontrovertibly" that pa
tronage had been sold there.
Amid the utmost confusion in the
Chamber, Mr.. Harrison declared that
Representative c. Bascomb Slemp,
of the Ninth Virginia district, and
Republican national committeeman,
was the dispenser of all patronage.
| Then, holding aloft a handful of let
tiers and cancelled checks, Mr.. Har-
IlSOn exclaimed:
THE people of. the country do not
altogether understand Virginia Re-
publican politics. 1t is a pure matter
OF patronage, and question of how
they can feed at the public trough.
Why. have been hearing all over
the district of matters about the sale
of patronage. I have been hearing
that ofiices were sold for what money
there was in them, and have right
here the incontrovertible proof that
that Is the condition we have been
facing in Virginia"
"He is the disburser Of all patron
age" he added. He is the man who
has to give his endorsement to any
body that applied, not only in my
own state, but also as l understand,
in other states.
Il picked up few checks-checks,
gentlemen, by the bushel. "They are
endorsed, some Of them by Mr.
Slemp and some of them by Mr..
Howard, as his secretary"
Mr.. Slemp. interrupting, demanded
the date, and Mr.. Harrison replied
that they seemed to run over a year,
from December 1920, to January
1922. The checks were not read into
the record. Mr.. Harrison said most
of them were drawn to Mr.. Slemp
and Mr.. Howard and signed by B. r.
Powell, whom he later described in
answer to questions from the floor,
as a patronage referee. Most Of the
amounts were under 500, he said,
and several went to the Republican
committee.
While he made no reply in the
House, Mr.. Slemp, in a statement
tonight, said that neither Powell nor
anybody else. had been authorized
to connect collection of money for
the party organization with the
promise Of Office and if this had been
done. it was without his knowledge
or approval.
Mr.. Harrison purported to have been
written by Mr.. Slemp to Powell in
answer to letters "in regard to the
collection of money for post Offices"
zone must he very careful about
this" the letter said. ut will bring
the party into disrepute, which
would be bad for everyone. We must
preserve our stand with the people
and the administration"
/ 1t was on the heels Of Mr.. Har-
rison's speech, which Republicans
described as an effort to attack Mr.
Slemp, that the House shut off de-
bate and voted to declare his seat
vacant. With this done. it voted to
seat John Paul, Republican contest
ant, who was Immediately sworn in
to serve until March 4. Mr.. Harrison
was elected in November, and will
return to his old seat in the new
Congress.