Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1873-01-23
WAITS FROM wAsHINCToN.
Hon Geo. w. McCrary His Vigilance
and Energy Contested Election Cases
Hon. r. W. Palmer ana the Inter
Ocean.
WASHINGTON. ian. IL.

WASHINGTON, Jan. Is.
1t is matter of much pleasure to
Iowa people here, as it doubtless will
be to those ut home in the State. to
know that representatives in Con-
gress are faithful, vigilant, and true to
the great interests of the whole coun-
try. Prominent among these / may
mention Mr.. McCrary, of the first dis
trict, and chairman of the Committee
on Elections. He is evidently the
right man in the right place. The
other day. the House having under
consideration the matter of contested
election cases, Mr.. McCrayy moved
the adoption of the following amend
ment:
Prorided, That after the expiration
of the Forty-Second Congress no pay
ments shall BIO made by the House of
Representatives, out of the contingent
fund Or otherwise, to either party to
a contested election case for expenses
incurred i'll prosecuting or defending
the same.
Upon this motion he was supported
by Garfield and other able men, while
Maynard and Others, probably as able,
opposed the measure. During his re-
marks he said:
"Mr. Chairman, the question of the
payment of contestants has been SO
much discussed in this House, that
suppose it is not necessary to say much
upon it this time. wish 10 state, how
ever, that the Committee of Elections,
having had great deal of experience
in dealing with this question, and hav-
ing considered the question in all its
bearings, have unanimously come to
the conclusion that the proposition
contained in this amendment ought to
to be adopted. In order that the House
may understand the extent of the ex-
pense incurred by payments of this
character, ask the Clerk TO read two
letters from the Clerk of the House.
The letters were accordingly read,
giving i'll detail, the names OF contest
ants, and the sum drawn by each.
Referring to these letters as the basis
of his remarks, he said
II will be observed that the expen-
ditures for this purpose have rapidly
increased within the last two wears,
During the twelve years preceding
the. Forty First Congress we paid out in
this way was SlT3,595.T9, or about $2S,
922 for each Congress. But the ex-
pcnditures during the Forty First
Congress for this purpose reached a
sum exceeding 100000. The amount
which will be expended by the pres
ent Congress is not yet determined.
because number ofclaims are still
pending and undecided.
The expenditures are the payments
made to unsuccessful parties. The
practice of the House has been to
the pay the party failing and to refuse
t6 the successful party. 1t
is difficult to see upon what ground
this rule can be maintained land case
arose during the last session Of the
House in which il was decided that a
gentleman who had successfully de-
Tended his right to scat ought to be
paid his expenses. am satified we
must adopt one of two rules; either
we must pay both parties. or we must
abolish payment altogether.
The committee believe that parties
who institute litigation of this charac-
ter should take their chances precisely
as parties do in any other litigation.
1t may be that "a case will sometimes
occur where there may be q hardship !,
but am satisfied that any evil which
may result from disseminating the
pay ment Of expenses in these cases
will not be comparable to the evil
which now results from the practice
of payment which has obtained in this
House. j hope the amendment will
be adopted .
The amendment as offered by Mr..
McCrary was adopted by an over
whelrning vote. l cannot close with
out quoting recent editorial from the
Sunday morning Gazette of this city,
which pays a just tribute to our Iowa
member:
"We are gra,ified to see that the
very efficient chairman of the House
Committee On Elections, whose name
heads this article, has shown the in-
dustry to investigate and the courage
to strike at the pernicious custom Of
paying large sums of money to confess
tants for seats in the House Of Repre-
sentatives. Upon examination of the
records, he presents 10 the public the
fact that nearly two hundred and
eighty thousand dollars have been paid
from the public Treasury, during the
past four years, to contestants in Con-
gress, from whom the general Govern
ment has never received o days SER
vice. This is all wrong, and Mr.. Nc
Crary, as plain, practical, business
man who sees the wrong inflicted up
on the taxpayers Of the country, is
taking steps to remedy the evil. We
earnestly hope he may be successful to
the fullest degree. Men who have not
the slightest prospect of securing seats
in Congress, contest" knowing full
well that their expenses while contest
ing will be paid !; and not only this
but that an additional sum will be vot-
ed for services never rendered. Let
US have no more OF such work"
1t is announced that Hon. F. W.
Palmer has purchased an interest in
thenew daily paper-the Chicago Inter
Ocean. As is web known, Frank {"
is one of the best Journalists in the
United States, and one Of the best
gentlemen ever beaten in a Republican
convention. If the country cannot
have the benefit Of his commanding
talents in one way, it will in another.
During his career in Congress he has
been hard worker, has been vigilant,
active, and has labored with unfiagging
zeal, in behalf of the best interests of
the whole country. We can hardly
afford to lose the services of such a
man as Palmer in Congress. BY the
way, the Inter-Occdn has Washing
ton correspondent, Miss Gibbs, former
ly of Dubuque, whose excellent letters
and Palmer's wide experience as a