Daily globe., 1879-04-25
ELECTION CONTEsTS.
Ihe House Getting Ready to Consider
Thens-Ihe DOnnelIy- Washbarn TestinaO-.
ny to be Printed.


Ihen,-1he DonnelIy- WasAbarn Testin,0-
ny to be Printed.
Washington Special april 23) Chicago Tri-
QA bune-Rep.
The House committee on elections held
meeting this morning and decided to hear
arguments in the cases of the contestants
from the Eighth and Ninth Congressional
districts Of Iowa on the 18th prox., on which
occasion they have invited all the Iowa Rep
resentatiyes to be present. The claimant
from the Eighth district is one J. Q. Holmes,
who has forwarded to the committee as
part of his case the poll books showing the
names of the persons who voted for him.
This ''election" appears to have been held
in only four rural townships in the district,
and the whole number of votes cast was 172.
At the regular election in October, 1878,
80, $50 votes were cast in this district, of
which
THE SITTING MEMBER RECEIVED 15,343.
Mr.. Holmes, who appears to have been at
that time modest, retiring sort of person
compared with what he is now, sent to st.
his name as candidate for Representative.
the Missouri border, and there his 172
Der. It is doubtful if so inexpensive can
vass or SO quiet an election was ever before
conducted in this country.
Mr.. John j. Wilson, who claims the seat
to which Gov. Carpenter was elected by
about 4, 900 majority in total vote of 80, ,124,
received some 25O votes in q quiet "election''
similar to that of Mr.. Holmes. It will be
remembered that prior to the last election q
question was raised by the Democrats as to
whether the Iowa election for Representatives
should be held in October or November.
After a thorough examination of the law and
the constitution of that State, it was unani-
mously held by Democrats as well as by Re-
publican lawyers that the second Tuesday in
October was
| THE PROPER DAY.
All the parties put their candidates in the
field, and the election was held on that day,
Notwithstanding all this consideration of the
subject beforehand, and the farcical nature
of the claim set up by these claimants now
there are already indications that majority
of the House committee on elections are
determined to report against the legality o.
the October election, and to recommend tha
all the seats of all the Iowa members be de-
clared vacant on the ground that no lega
election for Representatives was held in tina
State last year. Chairman Springer is un
derstood to have said that he should be glat
to vote to sustain the legality of the Octobe
election
IF HE COULD DO so
consistently. It is probable that in case
majority of the committee agree to recon-
mend that the seats of the present member
be declared vacant, they will withhold thei
report until near the close of the preser
session in order that these members ma
participate in the proceedings of this ses
sion. A new election can then be held bt
fore the beginning of the next regular So
:, sion of Congress. If this is done it Will VI
doubtedly be an advantage to the Republ
cans. who feel confident of regaining tt
two districts now represented by the Greer
back members Gillette and Weaver.
The committee have opened the papers
I | the case of
DoNNEIiLY AGAINST wAsHBURN
: in the Third Minnesota district, and ordert
: them to be printed, but no time has bet
! set for a hearing.
Q The papers in the case of Curtin again
r Yooum, Greenbacker, Seventeenth Pennsy
j. vania district, will be opened to-morro,
o The testimony in this case is very volumi
# ous, and if all is printed will make volur
n of over 5000 pages. Washburn receive
}, 3,O12 majority over Donnelly, and Yocu
O but 73 over Curtin. The former conte
: would probobly not have been made but f
n the personal enmity on the part of the co
l nd kho 10 cd nit an
Is thing like fairness Mr.. Washburn WILL T
| ~, +;