Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-02-04
Bitterness Marks Newspaper
Debate on Rejection of Smith

| Bitterness has marked the debate
| in the press of the country precipi.
| tated by the action of the United
| States Senate in refusing to seat Sen.
| ator-elect Frank l.. Smith of Illinois
| pending an investigation of his right
/ to become a member of the upper
| house of Congress. Much of the
uncertainty relates to the fact that
| while it is charged that public service
| interests We're involved in his election
| to the next Congress, his present posi-.
| ton is based upon appointment to the
present Congress to fill ont an uneX-
| pired term. The constitutional right
OF the Senate to look beyond the regu.
larlty of his credentials is questioned
| by some, defended by others 1t is
| denied by opponents that his selection
! affects only the State of Illinois.
The simple fact is that the moral
effect of excluding the Senator-desig-
nate and Standardized from Illinois for
| q fragrant offenSe," in the opinion of
the Chicago Daily News independent,
would be salutary, while his accept
ance as a member of the Senate would
be demOralizing. 1t is absurd to say
that his exclusion for just cause would
set dangerous precedent" The Daily
News also feels that the tender. re-
gard expressed by some Senator'S for
the wishes of the people of Illinois
must be thought somewhat out of
true" The Rockford Star Gndepend-
ent) adds its testimony that the Ere
suit Will be hailed with the utmost
satisfaction in this State by those who
have felt all along that Smiths ac-
lions in relation to campaign funds
were indecent" Observing the atten-
ton that is given to Campaign ex-
penditures. their source and size" the
Bloomington Paragraph Gndepend-
enO suggests that 1.-The lesson should
not be lightly forgotten"
WAS Smith the deliberate choice
of the voters of his State'?" asks the
Dayton Daily News independent Dem
Ocratic) with the comment: Not by a
thousand miles. That is the real point
to the Senate's action" The New
York Times independent Democraticl
adds: THE chatter about State rights
is too thin. The right of the people of
a State to have two Senators is sub
ject to the condition that the qualifica-
lions of both those Senators are ac-
cepted by the Senate" The Pittsburgh
Sun independent Democratic says
that these are bad days for State
rights, particularly for the rights of
States to elect as corruptly as they
desire to the United States Senate
men as unfit as may please Them"
The Indianapolis Star independently
takes the position that the man must
be acceptable to the Senate
X x * X
The Toledo Blade Independent Re
publican) affirms that the Senate has
definitely voted it's disapproval in prin-
ciple of the ring of gold in an I'M
hallowed alliance" while the Portland
Oregon Journal independently remarks
that notice has at last been served
that government still belongs to the
people and that it is to be clean" The
Davenport Democrat Democraticl
suggests that 1.-The Senate has learned
something from what happened to
NeWberry and to the Senators who
supported him. 1t is his misfortune
that Smith had not learned as much.
The Lincoln State Journal Gndepend-
ent Republican, declares that 1.-THE
deciding factor was the effect of huge
expenditures of money by wealthy
men to influence an election" and that
with the decision we believe the pub
lie will generally agree" The Sioux
City Tribune independently also en-
phasizes the political tragedies which
befell those who voted to seat New
berry"
Insistence upon qualification of
clean hands" and condemnation of
the use of money by public service cor
porations" is hailed by the Raleigh
News and Observer Democratic) as "a
new departure, while the Flint Daily
Journal independently believes that
1.-The issue at stake is as much con
duct unbecoming a Senator as it is
actual violation of any rule. written or
regarding the size of cam
paign expenditures" The ST. Louis
Post Dispatch independently views the
case as merely an incident in the
larger issue the use of money to |
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