The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1895-06-27
THE POLITICIANS ARE WA'Oh'
ING WITH KEENEsT lNIENH'A
THE RESULT IN KENTUCKY
AND OHIO.
UPON THAT RESULT WILL THEIR
FUTURE ACTION BE BASED.
REPRESENTATIVE kirkpatrick, Republican
From Kansas, Has an Eminently Cor
rect Opinion Upon How Election
Contests Should Be Decided
By Congress.
Special Correspondence.

free coinage or sound money is now rapid
ly coming to a focus and within the next
two weeks action will have been taken
which will have great weight with the
final result a year hence. Upon the out
come in Kentucky and Ohio in the Dem
ocratic ranks are tn eeyes of the greatest
number of politicians now centered. Not
withstanding the fact that the primary
elections have already been held in the
former State and the fight which has
been so warmly carried on between the
factions led by Carlisle and Blackburn
will have its decisive round in the conven-
ton which is to be held in Louisville next
week. Comparatively few of the dele
gates, as CLEANED from the press reports,
will enter the convention with instruc-
tons from their several districts, so it
will at once be seen that the action of the
convention is as much a matter of doubt
as ever. 1t is likely, however, that the
method in which fthe grand conclave
of the league of Republican clubs to be
assembled in Cleveland tomorrow, handles
the silver question will have considerable
influence with the Kentucky Democracy.
The Southern Democrats have already
shown their belief that the problem of
free coinage is not of sufficient Importance
to cause a severance of party lines as
evidenced by the recent tizzle of the plans
of such radical silverites as Sibley and
Stewart during the recent Memphis silver
gathering and the conspicuous absence
therefrom of the strongest and most
influential men of the South. They fur
themore realize the fact that the action
taken by the Republican clubs will, in a
very great measure, indicate the course
of that party in the pending campaign.
Hence it is that having an opportunity
to acquire knowledge of that plan OF pro-
cedure the action of the Kentucky con-
yention will be such as to, in that State
at least place a stumbling block IN the
way of Republican encroachments and
policies. o..
Next on the list after Kentucky is Ohio,
where the fight is indeed red hot So far,
in that State, the question is practically
in statu quo. Following out the plan
of the sound money party advisers, the
leaders of that faction-Brice and Camp
bell-are still fighting for delay in the
time of holding the convention in order
to allow the campaign of education 10
90 ON, and so far their prospects OF sue
cess are most encouraging.
CONTESTED ELECTION CASES.
During the last session of congress, and,
in fact. several times prior thereto, the
nuestion of RELOCATING contested eiecuoh
cases to the federal courts was aSltateu:
Among the members-el to the next
house is Hon. s. S. kirkpatrick, a he
publican from Kansas, who is now IN the
CITY and is heartily in favor of the change'
Speaking of the matter, he says,
..From reading of the way the house OF
conservatives dc ,ides contested election
cases. have come to the con
clusion that such cases are frequently de-
cided on party lines and without due re- re-
card to the equities of the cases. VI
course. it is a great temptation 10 any
party that might be in control OF the
house to selze upon chance TO increase
its majority. For myself, would NOT
hesitate to vote for any man VINO l
thought had been elected whether ms
being seated in the house was : ia ah oaSes
or unfayorG0le to my party. Such cases
are foo serious to be Influenced by party
considerations.
"Tbere is no branch of our government
+bst iS So far removed from political IN
tnences as our courts. Contested election
cases should be tried in these. courts locat,
ed where the elections took pace ano
where witnesses may be called. Inc courts
should be given power TO summons WI
nesses to testify in such matters. | tn I'm
this question should be taken up by the
newt congress and decided once for all. l
am inclined to think that this, plan would
be approved by the members.
RAILROAD STATISTICS.
The seventh statistical report OF the
interstate commission for the year enal1s
June 80, 1894, has just been submitted.
In the introduction especial attention. IS
called +o the peculiar conditions affecting
the operation of railways during the year.
ON June 80, 1894, 1872 roads, operating up
ward of $4,000 miles of line, and repre-
senting about one-fourth of the total rail-
way Capitalization, were in the hands Oh
receivers. The effect of these condltlons
is apparent in nearly all OF the hsures
presented. 1n;+od
The total railway mileage in the lelted
States June 80, 1894, was lIS,I0o, an I'M III,
crease during the year OF ~, m resr was was
4S97 miles. The percentage OF increase
during 1894 was less than for any proceed
ing wear for which reports nave peeH
made TO the commission, and u is n 10
nrobable that the year ending June ~, ~,
iS95. will show much improvement: Inc
number of roads abandoned was sixteen.
The total mileage of all tracks was
233, 533 miles. The total NUMBER mum OIL , Gaii-
way corporations June 30, 1894, was III M,
an increase during the year OIL ~. > , ne
number of roads not in operation was !.
The movement of consolidation during
the wear on the basis of mileage involved
has been greater than for the previous
wear: Is roads, representing 1874 miles,
have been merged; % roads, representing
2352 miles, have been recognized, and
IA roads, representing 1880 miles, have
been consolidated.
A classification of railways on the basis
Of operated mileage shows that Al roads,
each with mileage of over 1000, operate
100.547 miles of line, or $500 per cent
of the total mileage Of the country:
Ninety roads operate 1890 per cent OF
the entire mileage. June 30, 1874, the
total number of locomotives were 80, AZ,
an increase during the year OF I04. d Iae
total number of cars reported was l'z'o'
07S. o.,-ror omn,ovos
Jnne 90. 1894, was I79, COS, decrease so as
compared with the number June oo' 1880,
o. g94. or 1916 per cent. This is
smaller number employed than IN any
YEAR since 1890. This decrease IS que:
ihe report states, to the heavy talling on
in traffic and the endeavor OF the roauS
" 4 new feature in this report is a ta9le
giving a comparative statement Oh Tue
average daily compensation OF the Vargas TooS
classes of railway employees 1or lo0-
The total amount of reported raj WIS
con;fal lime 20. 1894, was $40, 196, 4Io,olo,