The record-union., 1894-03-19

Special to the REcoRD-UNIoN.
WASHINGTON, March 1S.-As soon as
the sundry civil bill is disposed of, which
will probably be tomorrow, the House
will take up the four contested election
cases which are pending the % Nelll-Joy
case, from a Missouri district; the Will
iams-Settle case, from the Fifth North
Carolina; the English Hilborn case. from
the Third California, and the Whatley-
Colby case, from the Filth Alabama.
The O'Neill-Joy and English -Hilborn
cases, which were both decided against
the sitting members (Republicans) by
strict party votes in the Committee on
Elections, are the most important. and
will require the major portion of the time.
In both of these cases, the result OF the
election in November, 1892, the election
was exceedingly close.
There were two counts in the O'Neiil
JOY election. The recount gave Joy 81
plurality. O'Neill was beaten on the lace
of the returns, and he Instituted the con-
test on the ground that the Missouri elec-
ton law had not been complied with, it
having been shown that some of the Joy
ballots had not been numbered and in
itiated as required by that law. The case
before the com mittee was upon the deter
mination of the question as to whether
the Missouri election law IN this particu-
lar should be regarded as mandatory or
simply directory. The members of the
committee wavered for some time, but
finally decided by strict party vote that
the law was mandatory, and that its tech
nicalities had not been observed. This
decision gave the seat to O'Neill (Dem.)
In the English Hillborn case the result
was also very close, English receiving
Is, l30 on the face of the returns, against
Hillborn's II, ,160. English's contest rested
on the claim that one precinct In the re-
turns had been manipulated beyond doub
and his attorneys charged that while Hill
born was not responsible for 1t, he had
been the beneficiary of that manipula-
ton. At the close of the case Hillborn's
attorneys still claimed his election by one
vote, but the Democrats of the committee
decided in favor of English.
In the Williams-Settle case, the con-
testant alleges that the sitting member
had been elected by the bulldozing and
intimidation of negro voters by the Re-
puDlicans. but most of the Democrats of
the committee refused to sustain his con-
tention. Mr.. Woodward (Dem.), how
ever, dissented from the decision of his
colleagues.
In the Whatley- Hobby case, the COM
mittee unanimously decided against the
contestant, who was a Populist, and his
case can have no standing in the House
whatever.
II the contested election cases are dis
posed of this week, which is hardly
probable, the Republicans will doubtless
insist upon the presence of Democratic
quorum to unseat their colleagues. The
House will proceed with the considera-
tion of the consular and diplomatic ap-
preparation bills.
The present week will, so far as the
calendar reveals, be devoted by the
Senate to routine business of no general
interest. 1t is probable the Notifications
appropriation bill will be reported from
the committee, and lf il should be it will
probably be taken up for discussion and
put upon its passage; and there will be an
effort to dispose of the Government
printing site, the Russian thistle appro-
priation and the McGarraban bill, and a
large number of special bills on the
calendar