Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-01-15
They Will Probably Give the House
Trouble.
SILVER FEELING THE CAUSE
Most of the Contestants Favor the
White Metal.
THIRT TY-THREE GASES

There is phase of the political situation
in the House which doesn't seem to have
attracted much attention so far, except
among the republican leaders, but it is
coming to the front with a rush ard may
have strong bearing in the coming ma
tional fight. The republican leaders are
worried about it, and they have yet found
no way out of what looks like a serious
predicament.
1t is nothing more nor less than a ques-
tion of what to do with the contests now
before the House. 1t is hard matter to
give to the public the source Of informa-
ton SO delicate in it's nature, but two Con-
Gressmen, ole a populist and the other g
free silver republican, are the authority for
the statement that the republicans have
never been in such a peculiar position in
the history of the House in regard to con-
tested elections. They are between the
devil and the deep blue sea-" is what one
of these men said to q Star reporter, in
discussing this unique phase of question
which is now agitating a whole country.
Thirty-Three Contests.
II will tell you this much,' said one of
the members, land then you can work the
matter out to suit yourself. There are
tbirty-three contests before the House.
Probably twenty-five of the contestants
are free silver men. OF course this num-
Der includes populists, as we'll as republi-
cans. To seat these twenty-five men, say
twenty of them republicans, would add a
dangerous element to the republican side.
1t might come within few votes of max
ing the House a free silver body. II 1t
didn't do that it would increase the kick
ing faction of the republican party to a
dangerous point. To not seat the men
means to raise furore in the south. where
,0,t han, fr0r and a hn
republican hopes of breaking the solid
south.
Take Alabama, for instance. There are
four contests from that state. Two of the
contestants are republicans and two popu-
lis ts. All of them are free silver men. Now.
You know Alabama is said to be the rotten
est state for political frauds in the Union.
1t is natural to suppose that If any of the
CT contestants before the House have strong
cases these men will. What will be the
effect in Alabama, and in the country, il
these men are not seated? There are also
four contests from North Carolina, two re-
publicans and two populists. The contest
ants are all free silver men. 1 might go
through the whole list and give you the
number of contests from each state. with
the names and histories of the men; but il
will only serve to show you that what l say
is correct.
Trying to Suppress Free silver Sentf-
ment.
publitans are not going to decide these
cases according to justice and right, but
will guarantee that there won't be half as
much partisan feeling in the decisions as
before. When the republicans had control
of the last House contested democrats
seat wasn't worth much to him; but they
stand a better chance now than ever before.
Watch what say and see if many a DEM
ccrat doesn't keep his seat and many a free
silver republican who is contesting go back
to his state with bitter feelings against his
party l look for some sharp fights on the
floor of the House and some serious charges
when the reports OF the election committees
are made.
THE committee on rules has already
fixed things that the committee on coin
age cannot report a bill to the House with
out the consent of the former committee.
Every movement which has yet been made
has had hidden motive in 1t, aimed at the
free silver men, and it will be found that no
effort will be spared at this session to keep
that element down."
Monometnllism In the South.
The gentleman was asked if he really
IL ought there was as much of a monometal-
Ism sentiment among the republicans Of the
south as his remarks seemed to indicate.
"Why, bless your soul; yes" he said. II
don't know that the colored part of the re-
publican party is taking much stock in the
financial question. This is because they
haven't been educated up to the question.
The white republicans, however, are strong
free silver people. This is especially the
case in North Carolina, Tennessee and Ala
hama, in which states there are more white
republicans than anywhere else in the
south. The white republicans in those states
are largely farmers who live in the noun
famous sections In North Carolina, as is
we'll known, the populists and republicans
are in complete accord the financial
question.
Listen to this prediction" said the man,
as he turned around to stroll down the
House lobby. There is going to be some
spcrt in this body before the session is over.
Party lines are going to the devil and there
will be enough take place here to completely
change the face of the political situation as
1t now stands.''