The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-12-13
CONTESTED ELECTION CASES.
MIR. Reed May appoint Three Commft-
tees TO Dispose Of Them.

Special TO the indianapolis Journal
WASHINGTON, Dec. 12.-It is generally
reported that Speaker Reed will announce
some, If not all. OF his committees next
Monday. Among those 20 be announced
will be the elections committees. for II is
practically determined that Speaker Reed
will appoint two, II not three, committees
to decide election cases. 1t is also rea-
sonably certain that Representative John
son will be the chairman OF one OF these
elections committees. Il view OF the ap-
pointment of two, and very probably three.
elections commfttses. It is not inevitable
that Mr.. Johnson's appointment as chair
man of one such committee will render IL
impossible for Mr.. overstreet TO be APP
pointed on one OF the other COM
mittees, as he desires. The matter of
appointing three elections committees has
been seriously discussed by Speaker Reed.
and he is said TO be very earnestly consid-
ering it. The purpose and the advantages
OF three committees elections would be
plain. In the present House there are thir-
ty-three contested elections. Some of them.
quite probably, have value. Others
undoubtedly brought IN good faith and de-
serve honest trial Many of them are such
that # will require only the presentation
OF the evidence TO secure immediate justice
for the contestant. But in all cases the
process OF trying the case in committee Is
slow. So that at every Congress IL hap
pens that in the closing days OF the session
contested cases are brought and men are
given their seats who should have had them
nearly two years earlier, and who have thus
for two years been deprived of their rights.
while their constituents have for the same
period srparted under the injustice OF being
misrepresented I'm Congress by man WHO
was not their choice at the polls.
It Will suggest itself 10 every one that the
contested election cases should be disposed
OF at the very outset OF session. III Z
man was honestly elected, he ought 60 have
the seat, and the iraudusent !. nolaer should
for months the rights and hnaneial emolu-
mcnts that do not belong 20 him. IL Is
equally evident that thirty-three cases are
too much for one committee TO dispose OF.
Ii took the elections committee OF the FIFTY
first House two years TO dispose or only
ever doubted the industry OF Chairman
Rovell and his associates on the elections
committee of the Fiffy-first Congress. If
cases under circumstances that required the
utmost promptness Of action both I'm the
committee and IN the House. II wlii De cas-
OF melting ou prompt justice 10 all the
thirry-three contestants In the present
will have any motive in the appointment
OF duplicate committees save only desire
to do prompt justice to all men inisrss'er
cont estees. SO far as he is personally con-
cerned. he can obtain no Advantage In add
ing TO the already unwieldy majority now
before him. Moreover his observation has
shown the inevitable political effect of =
contested election that is not decided With
absolute fairness. both as 20 law ana 10
faet. The proposition for three or even
80 Committees will he ho;ly fought by tho
democrats, because the contestee. being IN
almost every case Democrat. mas every
thing TO gain by delay and his. seat and
his Salary 10 lose by prompt decision In
case.