The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1922-12-16
vIRGINIAN oUsTED.
Representative Thomas w. Harrison's
Election Was Irregular.

Washington, d. G., Dec l6.-Repre-
sentative Thomas w. Harrison, Demo
crat, of the seventh Virginia district
was ousted yesterday from the House
on the ground of Irregularities in the
lgN election in his district,
After ousting Harrison by vote Of
202 to 100, the House seated John
Paul, Republican contestant, who win
serve until March a.
In parting shot at his Republican
foes, Representative Harrison charged
that the life of the Republican party
in his state was based on patronage
and then proceeded to read letters
which he declared proved incontro-
vertibly" that patronage had been
sold there,
Amid the utmost confusion in the
chamber, Mr.. Harrison declared that
Representative C. Bascomb Slemp, of
the 9th Virginia district, and Republi-
can national committeeman, was the
dispenser of all patronage. Then,
holding aloft handful of letters and
cancelled checks, Mr.. Harrison ex-
claimed:
The people Of the country do not
altogether understand Virginia Repub-
lican 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. have been hearing that
officials were sold for what money
there was in them, and / have right
here the incontrovertable proof that
that is the condition we have been
facing in Virginia"
Mr.. Harrison as saerted that "Ths
head of the whole business is the dis
member from the 9th yir-
ginia district.
HE is the disburses 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 I understand, in
other states.
II picked up a few checks-checks,
gentlemen, by the .bushel. They are
endorsed, some of them by Mr. Slemp
Ind some of them by Mr. Howard, as
his secretary
Mr.. Slemp, intefrupting, demanded |
he date, and Mr.. Harrison replied that |
hey seemed to run over year, from
December, 1920 to January, 1922. The
'hecks were not read into the record.
slr. Harrison said most of them were 7
lrawn to Sfr. Slemp and Mr.. Howard
md signed by B. r. Powell, whom he
ater described in answer to questions
rom the floor, as patronage referee.
dost Of the amounts were under 500,
lie said, and several went to the Re
publican committee.
While he made no reply in the House
dr. Slemp, in a statement last night,
aid that neither Powell nor anybody
lse had been authorized to connect
objection of money for the party or
anization with the promise OF Office
nd If this had been done it was with
ut his knowledge or approval.
The first of the letters read by Mr..
harrison purported to have been writ
EN- by Mr.. Slemp 10 Powell in an
wer to letters -''in regard TO the col
sction of money for postoffices"
"One must be very careful about
his" the letter said. 1T win bring
he party into disrepute, which would
e bad for everyone. We must pre-
srve our stand with the people and
he administration.
II was on the heels of Mr.. Harri-
'n's speech, which Republicans de-
ribbed as an effort to attack Mr..
Temp, that the House shut off de-
ate and voted to declare his seat va ,
int. With this done IL voted to seat
ohm Paul. Republican contestant, who !
as Immediately sworn in to serve
ntil March 4. Mr. Harrison was i
ected in Noveu1gr. and will return !
his old seat be new Congress.