Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1880-01-19
1aaraster f,ltelligellrer.
MONDAY EVENING, JAN. 10, 1880.
The Twentieth District.

MONDAY EVENING, JAN. 10, 1880.
The Twentieth District.
There is every reason to suspect that
the apparent compromise of the Curtin
Yocum contest in Congress, by which
there is to be vacancy declared in the
of the district and a new
election ordered, has been prompted by
some considerations which do not lie
upon the surface and which are not iden-
tical with the real merits of the case. 1t
is possible that so many technically ille-
gal votes were found that in the absence
of any positive proof as to how they were
cast a fair and intelligent committee
could not decide who was elected and
so did the next best thing in providing
for a new election. But we have been
so accustomed to see representative
bodies resolve all doubts in favor OF the
majority, and decide contested elections
according to the partisan interests OF
that majority, that we are not ready to
believe that the expected judgment OF the
House in this contest is entirely
free from personal or political motives.
1t is an open secret that both the contest
ant and sitting member have been asSld-
uously playing fast and loose with all
parties during this and the extra session,
with view to invoke such consldera-
tions in the determination of their
claims and all parties found themselves
placed in such delicate situation with
relation to them that large majority OF
the House preferred to avoid any decIs-
ion upon it. There were Democrats who
preferred YOcum to Curtin, Republicans
who would rather had Curtin seated than
YOcum, and different members OF the
same party estimated quite differently
the political effect of seating one or the
other. In view of this and of the dubi-
Gus character of the testimony there
would have been some strange voting OF
the final question, and majority OF Con-
sress are heartily glad to dodge it.
To the people of the Twentieth district
the exhibition in Congress may convey
valuable lesson. If we understand TIT
power and the proposal of Congress, it il
not to send these two men back to b'
voted between again, but simply to de
clare no election, vacancy, and to ordel
another election free to all " who ma.
make themselves or he made candidates
When such an election is ordered it vii
he for the Republicans and Democrats o
the district to say whether or not the.
will run the old candidates. 1t is appar
ent that since their last nomination
reasons have interviewed why eacl
should desire change.
In the first place, in 1873 each part.
was blowing with strange heifer. Th'
Republicans nominated YOcum to ge
the Greenback vote the Democrats nOml
mated Curtin to get Liberal Republican
vote. 1t was not good policy for eithel
to adopt in district so unevenly divided
A strong majority can best maintain it
self by standing erectly by its principle
and it's straight party leaders a veal
minority can only save itself from alb
sorption or disintegration by refusin;
these entangling affiliations, in which vic
tory brings it no credit and defeat ha
no asSuagement.
In the second place things have changed
since 1878, and if there was any occasion
then for the two leading parties to maxi
Cancellation with the third party, ther
is far less now. The battle lines in lSS
are being strengthened. Again, if con
test between Yocum and Curtin in tn
Twentieth district is attended with Sllcl
enormous frauds as are alleged to hav'
marked this one, would not the peo
pie of the district save their credi
by framing an issue that woult
invite a fair election. But abOv
all other considerations is this one whicl
chiefly affects the Democracy that ex
Gov. Curtin has been shown to be TIN
weakest possible Democratic candidate
AS such he has been tried and fount
wanting. His nomination demOralizet
the party and lost it the district; will i
avail it anything now Gan II anord u
invite defeat with him again? Their
are able and trusted Democrats in tn
district-conspicuously A. II. Dill ant
p. Gray Meek-whO can carry it by th
old majority. Would it not he safer t.
make sure thing of it with some sucl
an one?
We fail to see any necessity for limit
ing a new election-on the eve of tn
presidential election-to the old candi
dates. We doubt if such a contest is tn
better policy for either party.
Maine Law.
In 1877, when the Republican governo
and council of Maine counted out Dem
ocratic members of the Legislature be
cause the returns were defective, tn
Democrats appealed to the suprem