New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-02-27
NO PARTISANSHIP SHOWN.
CONTESTED ELECTION CASES FAIRLY
DEALT WITH.

DEALT WITH.
THE REPUBLICAN MAJORITY IN THE House IN
SEATING NO ONE EXCEPT FOR GOOD AND
SUFFICIENT cAUsE-DEBATE IN THE CASE
OF VAN HORN AGAINST TARSNEi
fey TELEGRAPH TO TIE TRIBuNE.l
Washington Feb 26-It must be evident at this
time even TO the most extreme and hiebouho
Democratic partisan who is a member or the House
of Representatives. that the Republican majority
Of that body, well as the Republican maJor'N
of each Of the three elections committees is gov
erned and controlled in its consideration OF ana &C.
cisions in contested election cases. not by partisan
feeling or prejudices. but by principles OF equity
and Justice Even ex-Speaker Crisp. VINO stooa
aghast when II proposed to constitute ana APP
point three elections committees on account oil ''e
large number Of contested cases to be decided ana
who predicted with much con.uence and Vehe-
mence that there to be wholesale unseauhs OF
Democrats for the benefit Of Republican ana Popu-
list contestants, regardless Of the merits OF an!
case must have been already convinced mat inc
gigantic Republican conspiracy never existed eN-
cent In his heated Imagination. and that MS pre-
dtctions were based stronger or surer loulud-
ton than his knowledge Of what his own party
rouId do - the case were reversed and II in
power.
Thus far the Elections Committees have taken
final action on nine cases dncluding the TWO Sou'h
Carolina cases decided to-day by Elections commit
tee No 81 and tina, action has been Unanimously
confirmed by the House in five cases. as 1t undouot-
cdlv will be in three Of the other four cases IN
every case except one the report OF the committee
submitting II has been Will be unanimous ana
all of cases except one. in when 'he acuoh III
committee has been unanimous. have resulted III
favor of the sitting members. all of whom are Demo-
Gratis The exception the case OF Be!Knap
e fpnfe
Democrat who held the certificate personally APP
naared before the committee and acknowledged that
the Republican was fairly elected and ent!tIed 10
the seat. M
Tho onIv case which has thus far developed dif-
ference OF opinion in committee is tha' Oh van
Horn against Tarsney, Of Missouri whch L no"
under consideration The grounds OF diherence !"
that case were outlined in The Tribune to-day As
the debate proceeds there are Indications 'hat
number Of Republican members are studying Inc
case with unusual care. and 1t seems pfopaoic 'lat
some OF them will support the resolution onerca
by the minority OF Elections Committee NO. -
reopen the and take additional testimony IN
order TO purge II possible the returns from several
election precincts which the majority OF 'he co'-
mittee has voted 10 reject The debate today ex-
cited considerable interest. and the speeches. on
both sides were listened with careful attention
by the members present. Mr.. Tarsney opened the
discussion with an earnest speech In his own be-
half Mr.. Tarsney's argument was IN support OF
the recommendation Of the minority that recount
be made Of ballots In the precincts where fraud
was alleged have been committed. IN order tnat
the House might have all the testimony available
in making up its judgment. That testimony pro-
cured. Mr.. Tarsney said. he was willing to let the
decision rest upon what II showed. He admitted
that fraud had been committed in the election. but
asserted that 1t not procured by him. nor was
it intended by those who committed 1t that he should
be benefited. The principle advocated by the ma
| of 10 ted
gerous one on which to act dangerous precedent
would be established when the House should say
by Its vote that it did want to ascertain the
made up. The evidence essential to a full and
plete knowledge of the facts was at hand; It was
for the House to determine whether or not 1t should
Mr.. Burton Gaep.. MOI favored the adoption of the
sideraton OF the the familiarity with the ques
practide in the courts Of the State and terms
service upon the bench The contention OF the
Proposition correct. and he dsurtom repudiaied
the principle laid down by the majority OF the com
mere , matter of abstraction Even if the recount Of
ballots in the fifth sixth and seventh precincts Of
Mo result on no be hsns s
frauds charged In the second and hfty second pre-
conceded to have been committed, Another reason
| why the proposition to recount the ballots would
his opinion under the Constitution OF the State, the
ballot boxes could not be entered to make the re-
|
The adoption Of the report Of the minority was
urged by Mr. Parker Rep, n. j. and Mr.. Powers
| (Rep. VT. The latter was interrogate1 by Mr..
johnson to whether not he had read the evil
dence in the Replying that he had read some
of 1t. Mr.. Johnson asked How much"
81 have read enough to know that you and the
majority OF the committee are all astray in the
way you proceeding. You have stopped Just
short OF the facts In the case" lApplause) He
urged upon the Republicans OF the House the neces-
sty OF avoiding making a precedent which would
return plague them.
Mr. Prince Rep:, I'D was the last speaker OF the
dnx uIT tfnU he ~ ms ilri rn-
port. Without closing his remarks Mr.. Prince
yielded the floor.
| Speaker Reed announced the resignation of Repre-
sentative Cowen CDem.. Md as member OF the
Committee on Banking and Currency
Mr. Loud Repp Cal) reported the Postof!ice APP
preparation bill for the ending June 30. 1891.
| At $50 O'Clock the House adjourned until to-
morrow.
House Committee on Elections No 3. Mr.. Mccall,
| Of Massachusetts. chairman, to-day decided TWO
! South Carolina contested election cases. both IN
| favor OF the sitting members. Ia the of VII
against McI4aurn, from the With District Mr..
| McLaurin (DeIlJ gets the decision. IN the case
% Norman against Latimer DEM. Mr. Latmer
secures the seat