Show CURIOUS PLIGHT the present case of oregon in respect to her representatives Is probably without a precedent and we hope that it will remain without a parallel abo state Is practically without representation sen tation at washington except for the single vote ot senator fulton senator mitchell Is under tor land frauds and although he may for the moment continue to hold his position and to draw bis salary he cannot take his seat nor cast a vote representative hermann is under many indictments for grafts and representative Will lamson charged with the same offense Is awaiting the result of alg appeal neither ot these men can vote anor can their places be filled unless they should determine voluntarily to resign the case ot Will lamson is peculiar inasmuch as he has not yet taken mhd oath while his cas li sub judici either as untried of as on appeal congress must give to him aa acau p tion of innocence but be would not be allowed to take iha oath even shoula he present himself for that purpose a course that he very unlikely to pursue it will bo quite easy for both these men to keep their cages before the courts all through the eu bueng sc aslon in which event congles con gres will refuse to d clare scabs scats vacant while at the same timo declining to allow them to exercise any of the functions for which they were elected oregon Is therefore deprived of the right of representation in the house and to that extent she be the only way out of the impasse is through the resignation of and herrmann but this need hardly bo considered as the accused would probably argue that such action on their part would be misconstrued and might militate against them in the courts congress Is of course blameless in the matter until judgment la absolute and congress would have no moral right to return what would be practically a verdict of guilty until that time these men remain members but without any of the rights of members and until that time oregon must remain without representation it oregon Is disposed to award any blame in the matter it must be upon herself and she need not feel under any embarrassing limitation as to the extent of such blame the fact that these men were elected shows a most culpable carelessness on the part of he electorate and an indifference toward qualifications that should have been supreme oregon of course la not alone other states also have given the preference to good fellows and to hungry and unscrupulous politicians instead of to real men who would have been diligent and conscientious ious in the public service the results have fallen upon oregon with extraordinary concentration and force but there are other states that may well attribute their escape it their escape is et assured to good luck rather than to good citizenship |