The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1896-12-16
PoPULIST GIVEN FAIR PLAY.
THE HOUSE REFUSES TO UNsEAT
FOSTER OF CLAY.

In Order to Give Him the BENEFIT Of
Every Doubt the Committee of In
veStieation Discredited the TeSti-
mOny of Two Voters Called as
Witnesses-The House Passes the
Antitrust BiII-The senate Votes
10 Have the Effect of Liquor nnd
Tobacco on the Human System
Taught i'm the Public schools.
Atlanta. Ga. Dec. 15-The House to-day,
by a vote of 105 to q, refused to unseat A.
l.. Foster, populst, from Clay county, and
give his seat to W. p. Killingsworth, dem
ocrat, who was contesting for it. Both
the majority and minority reports of the
election committee were read. The ma
iority report favored the sitting member,
the populist A. l.. Foster, and the minor
itv report was for W. P. Killingsworth
Mr.. Burwell of Hancock, chairman Of
the committee on privileges and elections
spoke on the case first. He, as chairman
of the committee. had brought in the ma
dority report, but was in favor of the mi
pority report He was on the committee
that had investigated the alleged frauds
in Clay county. That committee had
found that thirty-two ambiguous ballots
had been cast. Two of these had been cast
for John Foster and thirty for Foster
Counting these doubtful ballots for A. L.
Foster, the result gave A. l.. Foster a ma
iority of three but the committee had
taken the highest testimony in existence.
that of the voters themselves. Two of
these who had voted ballots for Eos
ter" swore that they had intended to vote
for John Foster. and not A. j.. Foster.
This would give Killingsworth the major
ity. The majority of the committee, how
ever. discredited the evidence of these wit
nesses. and the majority report was made
in favor of Foster. The minority report
disagreed with the majority and wanted
the populist unseated. Mr.. Burwell made
a lengthy speech in favor of the minority
report.
Mr. Thomas Of Ware, who brought in
the minority report, made a lengthy argu-
ment in support of that report
Mr. Branch, the populist leader, spoke.
He said he should insist that a prima
facie case had been made out in favor of
A. L. Foster. The testimony of Mr.. Kill
ingsworth's witnesses had been impeach-
ed It was not reasonable that the five
negroes, who swore that they intended to
truth. John Foster lived out of the coun-
", and the negroes knew that he was not
eligible.
Mi. Hogan of Lincoln, also a populist,
made a short argument. He said that
two-thirds of the election managers in
Clay were democrats, yet they had de-
clared Mr.. Foster elected. He simply
wanted to ask the members of the House
TO follow out the old Bible adage, DO
INTO others as you would have them do
unto YOU" He wanted the democrats to
do unto a poul.st, unto Mr.. Foster, as
they would be done by.
The House killed the bill, by Mr.. Phin-
izy of Augusta, making bicycles baggage
and requiring railroads to carry them
free as such.
The bulk of the session was devoted to
reading Senate bills the first time The
bill by Mr. Craig of Bib, prohibiting the
EMPLOYMENT Of child labor in the factories
of this state, which was a special order
for to-day, was not called up, but will be
tomorrow. The House to-day again took
up and passed the Calvin antitrust bill
this morning. 1t went through as re-
ported from committee. Mr.. Reid s
amendment exempting foreign and domes-
tic manufacturers who do not enter into
combination with Others but simply die
tate the minimum price at which their
goods shall be sold by retailers, was
showed under
The bill prohibits any combination, trust
or arrangement by which full competition
in the manufacture or sale of any COM
modify is prevented
The bill is aimed at the rebate contracts
made by the large manufacturers, which
afford larger commissions to dealers
handling. their goods exclusively than 10
those dealers who handle the goods of
competitors.
1t provides that any corporation vio-
lating the terms of the law shall for
felt its right to do business in Georgia
and the penalty for violating the statute
is Imprisonment in the penitentiary.
While the bill is directed mainly against
the oil, sugar, tobacco, iron, snuff and
similar trusts, its provisions are far-reacn-
ing and the passing of the bill has at
tracted attention.
Mr. Reid gave notice that he would
move a reconsideration.
In joint session z. A. Littlejohn of Doc
~ county was elected judge of the south
west circuit, to succeed Justice Fish.
The Senate to-day passed the bill by Mr..
Whether, requiring that the effect of liquor
and tobacco on the human system shall
be taught in the public schools.