The Washington times., 1894-04-01
DEADLOCK STILL UNBROKEN
Democrats Unable to Put an End to
to Republican Filibustering.
LITTLE INTEREST IN o'NEILL
Committee on Elections Ready to Fight for
the Contestant, but a Great Many Members
Of the Latter's Party VIII Not Aid in His
Efforts to be Seated.

After another week OF Republican flibuster-
ing over the contested election cases it is as
difficult as ever to foresee the outcome Of
the present struggle between the two parties
in the House. The situation in brief is this;
The Joy-O O'Neill case, over which the present
deadlock has arisen. is an attempt to unseat
Mr.. Joy, q Republican, of the Eleventh Mis-
souri, district, and give the seat to Mr.. O'Neill,
the Democratic candidate. A great many
do not care with large majority for their
party in the House to try to unseat candi-
date fer whom, as it appears, the majority Of
electors in the district tried to vote.
Besides. Mr.. Joy is popular and Mr.. O'Neill
is not. A prominent Democratic member Of
the Committee ON Rules admitted under con-
siderable pressure yesterday that number Of
leading Democrats were very apathetic on
the O'Neill contest, and would not make
quorum to put him in under any circum-
stances.
Several other Democrats, not interested
either way, were decidedly in favor of letting
the case go over if something could not be
done very speedily. Their view is that there
is little real merit in the case anyhow, and
that it is only embarrassing the Democratic
party in its fruitles5 attempts to muster a
quorum and to successfully resist Mr.. Reeds
filibustering.
Mr.. Patterson, however. the chairman Of the
Elections Committee, told TINES represents
tive yesterday that the case would never be
dropped-neyer, repeating his negative with
emphasis. The Democratic members Of the
COMMITTEE on Rules also have gotten their
backs up and wish to have the parliamentary
fight at the same time.
The outlook is, perhaps, that there will be
continuation of the fight during this week and
not until one side or the other is tired out
will the battle end.
ALI proffers of Populist aid will be refused
by Mr.. Patterson, so he declares. upon the
termsi demanded. These are that the con-
tested claims of two Populists-one In
other in Virginia. known as The Goode-Epes
case, are taken up and considered. A Popu-
list leader said yesterday. referring to Mr..
Patterson's above remarks:
''Oh. that is all right. We have made up a
quorum for the Democrats twice before-once
to have the income tax added to the tariff
bill and second time to push the seignior-
age bill. We shall simply wait two or three
days and see how matters look then. We are
here to make our few votes count. What We
want is a vote to take up our cases and a rule
under which they can be disposed Of
NUMBER Oh democrats secuted tnlS 10ea
OF deal. but all agreed that they must go on
now that they had started. Mr.. Springer
likened the position of the party to pig that
had gotten half way through hole and could
not get out one way or the other.
in such cases" said Mr.. Springer, IT have
never heard of any other way out than to
keep on trying to push through"
But the difficulty is that Speaker Crisp is
unwilling to resort to the tyrannous rulings
of Mr.. Reed and count a quorum when mem
bers present refuse to vote. Mr.. Reed pro-
poses to force him to so do. in order to vindi-
cate the ex-Speaker's attitude in the Fifty
first Congress. That is the real issue now.
Most of the active Democrats have lost their
interest in Mr.. O'Neill and are not fighting
for him. As a prominent Democrat said
yesterday:
81 wish We could vote John his two years
salary and let him go. 1 think Congress
could manage to get on without him well
enough"