New-York tribune., 1896-02-01
HOUSE ELECTION CONTESTS.
FAIRNESS AND DILIGENCE SHOWN BY
THE COMMITTEES.

FIVE CASES DISPOSED OF on UNANIMOUS RE-
PoRrs-FouR DEMOCRATS RETAIN THEIR
SEATS. AND ONE COMEDIES HIS oP
PoNENTs OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES
HEARD IN NINE OTHER CASES.
[BY TELEGRAPH TRIBUNE1
Washington. Jan. 3l.-The House Of Repre-
sentatives to-day adopted without debate or divi-
sion the unanimous report of Elections Commit
tee No 3. declaring that A. J. Rosenthal was not
elected Representative to the LIVth Congress
from the Xth District Of Texas and that Miles
Crowley elected. This action confirmed the
title Of the sitting member. who is a Democrat
This is the fifth election contest disposed OF by
the House In the five weeks since the Elections
Committees were organized In each Of the five
cases-one OF which was reported from Elections
Committee No. l. OF which Judge Daniels. Of New
York. is chairman: two from Elections Committee
No @ OF which Mr. Johnson, Of Indiana, Is chair
man. and two from Elections Committee No 3. OF
which Mr.. Mccall. Of assachusetts Is chairman
the report Of the committee has been unani-
nous which Is a noteworthy fact In four Of
the the titles OF the sitting members who
are Democrats. have been confirmed by a House
Of Representatives which is Republican by an
overwhelming majority. In the fifth case-that
OF Belknap against McGann. of the lid Distric.
OF Illinois-the Republican contestant seated.
Mr. McCiann himself having appeared before the
committee and conceded that his opponent
honestly and fairly elected
TWENTY-sEvEN CASES REMAIN
Twenty-seven cases still remain to be disposed
Of by the Elections Committees and the House.
The oral arguments in a number Of these cases
have already been heard and the members Of
the several committees are now engaged in sift-
ing and weighing the evidence and preparing to
render judgment. Elections Committee No
has heard arguments and closed the ora, hearings
IN three cases-those OF w F. Aldrich Republi-
cam against Robbins DemocraO Of the IVth AL
ALBANIA District; GOODWIN PopulisU against
Cobb DemocraU, Of the VIII Alabama District,
and Rnaker Repubcan) against Downing
QDemocraO. of the XVIth Illinois District. The
oral hearings in the of Robinson Uopulist)
against Harrison DemocraO. of the lid Alaba-
ma District, before this committee have not yet
been closed. and the arguments in four other
cases remain to be heard
Elections Co nmittee No . found Il necessary
to hear arguments and dispose Of preliminary
motions in a number Of cases all OF which con-
sumed considerable time that oral arguments
have been heard in only one case-that Of Van
Horn Republcan) against Tarsney DemocraD,
Of the With Missouri District-exce2t the cases OF
Campbell, against Miner. Of the IXth New-York
District. and Chesebrough against Mcclellan. Of
the XIIth NewYork District. both OF which have
been disposed of by the committee and the House
Elections Committee No. g. to which twelve
cases were referred. has reported on two OF
them-those of Davis Populst against Cul-
berson DemocraU. Of the IVth Texas District
and Rosenthal Republican). against Crowley
OemocraO. Of the Xth Texas District The
committee has also heard oral arguments In
the cases of Kearby PopulsD against Abbott
DemocraD. OF the With Texas District Muir
ray (Repuhlican). against Elliott (DemocraU. Of
the Ist South Carolina District: Mourman (Re-
publican against Latimcr DemOcraO, Of the
IVth South Carolina District: Wilson Nepub-
licam against McLaurin OemocraD. of The
With South Carolina District. and Johnston
Republlcan) against Stokes DemOcrat. OF the
With South Carolina District
no PARTIsANsHIP MANIFESTED
1t will thus be seen that the arguments in
nine cases have been heard and closed. 1t
is thought probable that reports in six or seen
Of these will be submitted TO the House
within the next ten days and they Will be CON
sidered and disposed of by that body without
undue delay. or course. II cannot be expected
that the reports Of the several committees will
be unanimous in every case. but the record
made by each % them thus far-every report
having been unanimous clearly shows that the
members have been able wholly TO dvest them
selves Of partisan bias and indicates a strong
probability that whatever differences OF Opln-
/ ion NAV find expression in the other cases Will
not be based solely on partisan feeling or
prejudice If sitting members who are not actu-
ally entitled To their seats allowed 20 re-
tain them II will be because contestants have
not furnished sufficient proof TO establish their
own rights and for no other reason. and IN
the cases of sitting members who may be ousted
such action will be taken because they have not
furnished sufficient proof to establish their title
10 the seats they now hold, and for no other
reason
The progress made by the committees thus far
indicates that most, II not all, OF the contested
election cases will be reported to the House
by the middle Of April. and that all Of them
will be disposed Of by that body before the
middle Of May. This will by no means imply
undue haste or lack OF the most thorough In
vestlgatiOn, and careful consideration Of each
and every case. 1t Is based on the spirit OF m
dustry which animates the members OF the
several committees. and the ability and dill
gence they have exhibited. and the fact
| that each OF the committees has already earned
| and obtained the confidence Of the House in a re-
! markabe degree.
vNCpEAsu OJr THE