The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1922-12-20
Sumter, S. c., Wednesday, December 20, 1922
SPOILS SYSTEM
EXPOSED

ginia Sold for Money
by Patronage Dis
penser
Washington, Dec. 15.-Represen-
tative Thomas w. Harrison (Dem-
ocrat) Of the Seventh Virginia dis
trict was ousted today from the
house on the ground of irregular
tiles in the 1920 election in his dis
trict.
After .ousting Harrison by 4 vote
of 2Oa to 100. the house seated
John Paul. Republican contestant,
who will serve until March 4.
In a parting shot at his Repub-
lican foes just before they oslsted
him late today from the house OF
representatives on the ground OF
election irregularities. Represen.
tative Thomas w. Harrison, Dem
ocrat of the Seventh Virginia dis
trict, charged that the life OF the
Republican party in his state was
based on patronage, and then pro-
ceeded to read letters which he de-
clared proved incontroyertibly
that patronage had been sold there.
Amid the utmost confusion in
the chamber, Mr.. Harrison deciar-
ed that Representative c. Bas-
com Siemp Of the Ninth Virginia
district, and Republicn national
committeeman, was the dispenser
Of all patronage. Then, holding
IaIofts q handful of letters and
cancelled checks, Mr.. Harrison ex-
claimed:
THE people Of the country do
not. altogether understand Virgin
la Republican, politics. It is a pure
matter of patronage. and question
tion of how. they can feed at the
public trough Why. I have beer
hearing all over the district of
matters about the sale of: patron
age. haye been hearing that
|tSfices were. sold for what money
Hthere was in it, and / have right
here the incontrovertible proof
that that is the condition we have
been facing in Virginia"
Mr.. Harrison asserted that" the
head of this whole business is the
distinguished member from the
Ninth Virginia district . "He is
the disburser Of ali patronage" he
added. .He is, the man who has
to give his Endorsement to anybody
ahat applies, not only in my own
state hut also as I understand in
other states.
II picked up "a few checxs-
checks, gentlemen, by the bushel.
They are indorsed. some Of them
by Mr.. Siemp and some of them
by Mr.. Howard, as his secretary.
Mr.. Slemp, interrupting, de-
manded the date ard Mr.. Harrison
replied that they seemed 20 run
over 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 3. r. Pow
ell, whom he later described, in
answer to questions from the floor,
|as patronage referee. Most of
the amounts were under $780, he
said, and several went to the Re-
publication national committee.
While he made no reply in the
house, Mr.. Slemp. in q statement
tonight, said that neither Powell
nor anybody else had been author
lied 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.
The first Of the letters read by
Mr.. Harrison purported 20 have
been written By Mr.. Slemp to
Powell in answer to letters lin re-
gard to the collection Of money
for postofices."
lone must be very careful about
this" the letter said. cit will bring
the party into d'srepute. which
would be bad fol everyone. We
must preserve our stand with the
people and the administration
1t was on the heeh 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, 202 to 100 to de-
clare his seat vacant. With this
done, it voted, 201 to a9 to seat
John Paul. Republican contestant.
who was Immediately sworn in to
serve until March 4. Mr.. Harri-
son was elected in November and
will return to his old seat IN the
new congress.
BY a vote of ITO to 81 Repub-
lican leaders shut off debate in the
election contest at o'clock. Dem
ocrats demanded and obtained a
roll call on the motion.
Both Mr.. Harrison and Mr.. Paul
addressed the house before the
former was ousted. The vote was
strictly along party lines. The
principal speech for adoption OF
the majority report recommend
ing the unseating of Harrison was
made by Chairman Dallinger OF
the elections committee, which in