The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1895-07-12

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Heads the Procession.
WASHINGTON, July e.-Tbe battle
over the contested seats in the Fifty
fourth congress has begun in good
style, and there is every prospect of
several very spirited engagements.
They have been for some time and stiII
are slowly grinding out the evidence
before the clerk Of the house, who
sends it to the public printing Office in
great manuscript bales, and the result
is mass of material of the kind to
amuse all Americans and to be espe-
cially instructive to Populists. It
shows how, in spite of alleged reforms,
election by ballot is still burlesque
in many places; how votes are manipu-
lated and voters swindled by infuen-
tial men, who are bought at so much
per capita, and how many tens of
thousands of sovereigns actually voted
exactly to the contrary of what they
intended to vote. Incidentally also
it will bring the Republican members
of the Fifty-fourth congress to the test
on a matter of principle, for if they ap-
ply the same rules to Populist contest
ants as to their own they will find the
third party about as strong in the new
house as in the last.
1t is not yet certain how many cases
will get before the house, as several are
suspended for various infoTmalities,
but of those already on the docket with
the evidence fled Is are by straight
Republican contestants, six by POpu-
lists and three by Independents or Re-
publicans Endorsed by Populists. In
many Of the cases the bare figures are
instructive. From the Third Alabama
district, for instance, the official re-
turns show 1919 votes for Harrison,
the Democrat, and but 5,713 for Robin
son, the Populist; total, 16,432. And
where we're the other 1900 votes? Mr..
Robinson thinks that he can prove
that they were far from Indifferent;
that nearly all of them went to the
polls, and that some 1900 thought
they had voted the Fopulist ticket. In
the Fifth district tire were returned
for Mr.. Cobb, Democrat, 1G,651 votes.
and for Mr. Goodwin, Populist in
dOrsed by the Republicans, 1903. The
attorneys tell me the proof is so posi-
tive in this case the Populist is sure of
his seat, as it was only by the most
sweeping measures that the bosses
succeeded In reducing his vote little
below that Of Mr.. Cobb.
In the Fourth and Ninth districts
the Republicans nominated and the
Populists Endorsed W. F. and 7. H.
AldTich, brothers, and these cases ex-
cite great interest. The Aldriches are
northern men who went south many
years ago, invested capital and built
up great coal mining interests. AS
might be expected they are protection
lists and Republicans, and are described
as men Of great ability both in business
and in politics. 1t was largely by their
efforts that Populists and Republicans
combined, each party taking the nomi-
nation in the district where it was
stronger than the other. In Alabama
the PopuIist5 generally are much
stronger for protection than any other
state. Hon A. J. Goodwin, contesting
with Mr.. Cobb, is the man who was
elected state senator on the first bolt
ing OF KOlb Democratic ticket He
lives near Tallaposa, and was for some
time chairman Of the state central
committee of the so-caIed Jeffersonian
Democrats.
There is only one contestant from
Georgia but it is a lively one and will
make fun for the boys for the contest
ant is sold Dock" FELTON,, who was in
congress for two terms several years
ago and knows every rod of his district
and every trick of the Democracy in it.
He is nearly if not quite 10 years old,
but active and extremely shrewd They
say that the evidence in this case will
be quite entertaing. Maddox, Demo
crat, is credited officially with 1881
votes, and FELTON, with $3.50, which
leaves about 1900 to account for. Mr..
Maddox makes no secret of the fact
that he is powerful uneasy" as GeOr-
gians say, and just at present he is
making a redhot fight for free silver,
probably to make himself solid with
his people. 1t was in this and adjacent
QtoJIlOJo Uudt oU uQCn lun HdS UUN6t-
oped a few years ago over the the pur-
chase of colored preachers and school
teachers. 1t appears that the industry
had become so regularly established
that each colored leader was rated &C
cording to the number of voters he
could certainly bring into the field
An ordinary country teacher might be
credited with 10 or 10 and a preacher
of the same grade with 80, but a presid-
ing elder frequently sold as high as
500, and in one case $500 was paid for
fright smart man." He delivered
the goods too.
In Louisiana there are three con
tests, and in the Fifth district the con
testant, Mr, Alex Benoit, is set down as
Populist, but very little is known