Delaware gazette and state journal., 1896-02-06
.,om onr washlnaton corrospondenl.


riom our Washington Correspondent
Washington, Feb. 4-Senator Mitchell
of Oregon. chairman of the committee
on privileges and elections. is authority
for the statement that the du Pont
election case will not be brought before
the Senate until the latter part Of this,
and possibly not until next week. The
Senator said that owing to a number of
important committee meetings which
be would have to attend, he would not
he able to complete his report on the
case before Friday.
Senator Turpie of Indiana, who is to
prepare the report Of the minority de-
voted most OF his time yesterday to
working on his brief. To the represen-
tatiye Of The Gazette he said that
he would be ready to report his side
by Wednesday, if the case came up.
He said that ho did not believe Mr.. du
Pont was elected, and that he would pre-
sent a strong argument against the seat
ing. The Senator was asked 10 outline
the ground he would assume, but he de-
clined, stating that he did not think it
would be proper for him to talk for
publication under the present circum-
stances
How will the members of the Popu-
list party vote when the case comes up
in the Senate? Senator Allen has said
that the Populist members will decide
Col. du Points claim on its merits.
Senator Stewart has declined on several
occasions TO give any expression OF his
views. There is a vague rumor out to
the effect that the Senator will vote
against the seating of the aspirant from
Delaware. This, however, cannot be
confirmed.
Senator Marion Butler, the Populist
member from North Carolina, was seen
by 1he Gazette's correspondent last
night. He said that other matters, Of
more importance to him, had taken up
so much of his time, so that he had
not gone very deeply into tho case. He
had copies of all Of the papers relating
to the matter, and would, at an early
date, give the queation his serious con
have not reached any definite conclu-
important features. The principal
question for us to decide is whether
Gov. Watson had legal right to vote
as State Senator, while act
ing as Governor. ] cannot express an
opinion on that point at this time, and
will not until it is absolutely neces-
sary. T"
The Senator thought the Senate had
right to inquire into all of the pro
ceedings pertaining to the election of
one Of its members, and would, there
fore, have right to inquire into the
qualifications of State Senator. Mr..
Buffers attention was called to the
decision of the committee on privileges
and elections in the case Of Hon. David
Turpie of Indiana, when it was held
that the qualifications and returns of
the members of the State Legislature
was to be determined by the Legislative
body OF the State and not by this
United States Senate. He then ad-
mitted that il the Legislature of
State recognized a member of its body
as duly qualified Senator, ii would
not be proper for the United States
Senate to pass upon the qualifications
uf that member He did not see that
this entered into the present contro-
yersy.
"The members of tho Peoples
party" continued the Senator, will
not vote as a party, unless all of our
minds reach the same conclusion. |
would not like to think that a question
partisan light, and ! am inclined to
think that this is the opinion of the
majority of the members Of the Senate.
!" have not heard any expression from
any of the Senators as to how they will
vote. do not think that any have
made up their minds as yet. We have
talked among ourselves, discussing pro
and con the various features of the
case, trying to fix in our minds what
weight we should give TO the different
arguments advance. When the commit
Tee presents their reports we will be in
position 10 intelligently act. p"
''Thcre is report out that you are
in favor of seating Col. du Pont. Is
this report true?''
80 have never, TO my mind, been in
.terviewed in regard to the case, and
have never expressed an opinion, re-
piled Senator Butler. 'Such an OK
preston was, therefore, merely an as
suption on the part of the writer. "