Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1888-12-31
Contpyt15F Seats.
O,:te Number in the Fifty
First House.
4 GLANCE AT THE LIST OF THEM.

Notice of But One So Far Filed-The Ex-
act Standing Observation-Disclosures
Sure of One Majority Regardless OF
Withheld Certifcates-The Speakership
Feeding the Little Onss-Death OF
Mrs Gen. schofield-Ihe Cruiser Charles
ton Completed.
WASHINGTON CITg. Dec 3l-Up to this
time only one notes OF contest has been filed
in the Office Of the clerk of the house This
is the case of Hartsuff against Whiting, the
latter being the sitting Democratic member
of the Seventh Michigan district There are
twenty one counts in his Indictment. and be
charges that votes We're cast at wrong places,
that aliens voted without restraint, that
fraudulent naturalization papers We're is
sued, that ilega registration was common
and that persons We're compelled to vote the
Democratic ticket under threats OF personal
injury. MIR. Hartsuff lays particular stress
upon what he calls the corruption fund"
This includes a contribution of s., 500 from
the national Democratic committee, s, 900
given by Mr.. Whiting personally an be-
tween $500 and 5000 from the federal
employees. The latter, Mr.. Hartsuff claims,
were particularly pernicious in their efforts
in Mr.. Writings behalf
Quite a number of the cases arise out of
the narrow ma jorities received by some OF
the successful candidates Such is the
foundation of the contest made by Sidney
E Mudd against Representative Barnes
Compton, of the Firth Maryland district,
whose majority has been placed as low as
one In the Fourth New Jersey district
nj nrrIn al, l., ~
Votes and n W Voorhees, will try to over
come this by contest Congressman Shive-
ly, Democrat, of Indiana, was returned by
still smaller majority-less than 40 votes
and William A Hoyne, his Republican
rival, will endeavor TO secure tine seat As
compared with these efforts TO overturn
few votes, the contest of T B. Eaton, Re
publican of Memphis, Tenn, to Gust Con
gressman james Phelan, seems quite hercu-
lean. Mr. Phelau received s,001 majority
| Charges Of fraud viii also be maia by =.
| B Posey. a Republican who WAS defeated
| by William F. Parrett in the First Indiana
| district For tae first time in many years
contested election case is reportei from
| Connecticut, where, in the Fourth district,
| Edward r Seymour, Democrat. will en-
! deavor to unseat Fred R Miles, Republican.
! William Elliott, of Beaufort, S, G., brother
/ of an Episcopal clergyman here, who bad
| contested case on his han Is during this co n
| gress, is again 10 experience the same trouble
| Other cases which will excite interest are
those of T. G. Phelps, Republican, against
! Thomas j. Clunie, Democrat, in the Fifth
| California district, and Jehu Baker, who de-
| feated Morrison and who has in turn sue
| cumbed to w. 5. Forman, in Illinois Judge
| Waddill, OF Richmond, Va, will contest
with George D. Wise the honor of represent
| ing the Third Virginia district. He charges
fraud and Illegal voting. This long
| LIST of cases does not include the
| West Virginia districts, which are
almost certain to be contested The next
committee on elections will have its hands
| full, and will be one of the most important
! to he appointed by Carlisle's successor.
! Clerk Clark has received the certificates of
members-elect TO the next house, aud has 80
bseu officially informed that certificates
have been lssusi in all but three con-
gressional districts OF the certificates
| issued 16} are to Republicans end l59 to
Democrats, and Of those districts still. in
doubt two of them arr in IVES. Virginia and
one i'll Tennessee In all of them the Repuh-
of the returns. However, should the Demo
cratic candidates get the certificates their
party will not have control, as the Repub
licans will still have a majority of one, and
will organize the house The question is
whether it will be one or seven.
Several Republicans who are elected to the
next house are in uncertain health. Several
whose names are often mentioned are re-
| garded as having very uncertain tenure of
life. Every indication of ill-health on the
part of member of the next house is re-
I garded with anxiety and adds another argu.
| ment to the many advanced IN favor OF an
extra session. This being the case, the can
didacy for the speakership is becoming more
heated every day. OF the l63 Republicans
who have received certificates of election il
is said that Cannon has 40 pledged for him ;
Reed So; Mckinley, %, aud Burrows, 70
There are 10 unpledged southern members.
The other Is members are scattered between
prospective candidates. There is no telling
for whom they will vote.