New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-11-20
PRICE THREE CENTS
A PLAIN DUTY BEFORE 1T.
THE NEXT HOUSE SHOULD INVESTIGATE
ALL CHARGES OF FRAUD.

JoRITy NOT FACTOR ~ THE CASE.
lBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNEl
Washington. Nov. 19.-There TO be .
disposition on the part Of some Republicans who
have visited Washington since the election to
deprecate and, 50 far as they can do so to dis
courage and prevent the bringing OF contests by
Republican candidates for Congress who allege
that they were defea ted by fraud. The reasons
assigned, # they deserve to be called reasons
that the Republican majority in the next
House OF Representatives will be so large that
the votes of the contestants. even II obtained,
will not be required. and that the investigation
ana adjudication Of election contests by the
House will be unpopular, especially IL the result
in any case should be the seating Of contestant
by the Republican majority. 1t will be observed
that neither of these so-called reasons touches
the merits Of any case. and one Of them is open
to the further objection that it implies that II the
Republican majority were narrow one the
bringing of contests and unseating Of Demo-
Gratis would be justifable If not a praiseworthy
proceeding.
or course. the size of the Republican majority
has nothing to do with the case In the present
Congress the Democrats. with ninety majority.
have unseated three Republicans and seated three
Democrats. two Of them upon the slimmest OF
broken precedents Of a century. To say that the
investigation and adjudication Of a contested
election case by the House Of Representatives
would be unpopular is to assert that the people
Of the United States willing to INK AT ana
encourage election frauds-an assertion whicn Is
utterly absurd in view Of -hat has taken place
in New-York New-Jersey and other states VIM
in the last two years, ana also III we" "a e
vigorous denunclation Of such irauds oy ieaui"s
Damocratic newspapers In Alabama, Georgia,
viro,rta and other Southern States as we'll as
bv newspapers irrespective OF party. IN the
North within the same period Moreover, II Is
IN assert that the performance OF duty imposed
unon the House OF Representatives by the Con-
stitution Of thu United States and by the laws IN
accordance Herewith which have been on the
statute-books end enforced for 100 years would
be unpopular
no DANGER OF PARTISAN DECISIONS
Some people appear to forget that the bringing
Of an election contest before the House OF Repre-
sentatives IS a matter which rests wholly Win
the candidate who believes that he has been
v,rongel and with the electors who cast their
ballots for him. II the former negects or refuses
to assert his rights by instituting proceedings to
test the title TO the seat, the latter. by petition,
may demand an investigation. and the House OF
The law prescribes the method of procedure
which a contestant must follow. and with that
the House Of Representatives has nothing to do
until the case has been formally brought before
II for trial and adjudication. When that is done
the House cannot refuse to try the case without
a violation of the Constitution. It could not DO
II If the minority consisted OF only single menu
her and his title to the seat were attacked in
the manner provided by law. II is pertinent to
ada that the stronger the majority the weaker
should be the temptation to decide an election
case on partisan grounds. There is absolutely no
danger that any Will be so decided by the
Republican majority in the House OF Representa-
lives
Thus far the Republican Congressional Comrni'-
too has received information Of twenty-six pro-
posed contests, twenty-three by Republicans ana
three by PopuIiss. and it Is understood that sew
eral more are to be brought. OF the former no
less than nine are from Virginia affecting all
th. Congress districts except the INth. IL Is al
Ieoed in behalf of the contestants that wholesale
frauds were committed in every district by the
nerversion and violation of a provision OF the
pew BALLOT law Whatever force there may be
in this allegation and whatever merit there may
be in the claims OF contestants. one clrcuih-
stance must attract attention To and invite conl-
ment upon the apparent results OF the NrsiIla
election.
cratic party suffered heavy reverses' III Aary
land the Democrats lost three Congress- districts
--one-half the whole number-and trauds are az
legged in others. In West virginia Inss .os. ns
every district; in Tennessee they lost Two
Districts and elected only six OF the zen
Representatives; in North Carolina they lost hVe
districts and elected only four OF nihe hrpiesei'.
atives and the seats OF two or three are 10 -
contested The same causes which operated IN
the States mentioned with the results inuI-
Gated were at least as active ana potent IN. VIZ
nd hp DprnGPrapV of that State comes
up smiling with the apparent loss OF only enc
district out of ten These facts are al least suS-
gcstive.
GLARING FRAUDS ALLEGED.
There will be two contests from Kentucky-one
from the With District. now represented by w.
C. T. Breckinridge. and one from the Nth Dis
trict both on the ground Of frauds in the count
ing and returning Of the votes cast. FROM MIS-
souri, also there will be two contests-that OF
Orton against Dockery in the lid District ana
that of Van Horn against Tarsney In the Nth'
In the former case there is understood to De
conclusive proof that several hundred Illegal
voters east their ballots not only once put sew
eral times for Democratic candidates. In the
other case the proof appears be strong that the
boxes in several of tn. Kansas City precincts
rare stuffed with fraudulent ballots. II Is un-
! derstoOd that both Of these cases VIII @ De 'su.
! ouslv prosecuted by the contestants. me seaS
! OFF Democrats rettrne'i dS cree 80
ana will be contested-three by RepuDheahs anu
! one by a Populist. -, -. RON
The seat Of Kern. the Populist. who now rep
resents the With Nebraska Dstrct VIII id,,a pS III
| tee,sd nv Dougherty the Republican candidate
who alleges fraud and errors in the count. MA &
! bama will furnish three cases OF contest ow9
| If which will be brought by Repupllcans am
! "no hw - Ponulist The seat of General Nell, OK
the With Arkansas District, will be contested by oy
MYERS, the Republican candidate VINO s alleges e'.
! fraud and the same ground VIII be alleged py
rSoa,haro the Republican candidate In the I'D
| Torth Carolina District. and Spears. the Fusion
candidate in the lid District or the same ota'e:
| Cenrge " Murray. the only colored member OF
| the IIIId Congress. will contest tne seat OF
Elliott. who has been returned as elected from
the LIST South Carolina District, ana Hosen.ha }'.il
pan,,hIican will contest the seat OF crowley.
nemocrat. who has been returned as eected
rom the IXth Galveston) Districf OF Iexas
The proofs of fraud in both OF these dstrlcts are