Chicago eagle. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1889-19??, 1897-05-29
UNsEATIN0 M'kiNLEY.
How II Was Accom- piishcd by Co
urcssmau Turner. of Gcorvia.

HOW II was accompanied ny (Ous
urcssnian Turner. of Georgia.
On the 4th of March. after sixteen
years of Congressional service. Henry
q. Turner. of Georgia, was retired TO
private life.
AS the Chairman of the Committee
on Elections in the House lie made a
record for ability and fair dealing that
has never been equaled before or since
his incumbency in that position. 1t
was while serving on that committee
TINT he made one of his most notable
achievements In his Congressional Gu
reer-onc that happened 50 long ago
that most of the people have forgotten
it-writes Il correspondent Of the At
lanta journal.
1t was to unseat william Mckinley.
Jr.. of Ohio. who became President of
the United States on the day Mr.. Turn
or retired from public life. and put in
his place In Congress n Democrat by
the name of Jonathan Wallace.
This occurred In the Forty.cighth
Congress. when Mr.. Turner was serv-
ing his second Congressional term. and
his first term as Chairman of the Com
mittce on Elections. and 1t was per-
hnps the beginning of the splendid rep
utatlon to which he has 80 added In
succeeding Congresses.
Mckinley was member Of the For.
ty.seventh Congress, and had served on
the Ways and Mems Committee. He
was an engaging. courteous gentleman
then. as he Is now. popular with the
Democrats on his committee and In the
House.
In the Forty.elglith Congress he was
given a certificate of election by the
Governor Of Ohio. ms on the face Of the
returns he had u majority Of seven
votes over his Democratic opponent, q
man rs little known then rs now.
The returning boards In McKinley's
district were In the hands of the Re-
publlcans. and through the misspclling
Of Wallace's name numbers Of the bal
lots of illiterate voters were thrown
Out---a sufficient number. according to
the evidence. to show that Wallace was
| rlghtfully entitled to the seat.
| At least II was clear to Turner'S mind
that this was 50. and he brought In a
report rs Chairman of the committee
declaring that Mckinley should be TN
seated.
The leading Republican on the com.
mittcc was Representative Ranney. Of
Massachusetts. rcckOncd as one Of the
finest lawyers of the House. Ranncy
brought In the miOrity report signed by
the Republicans and by Representative
Robinson. of Kentucky. n Democratic
member Of ability and force.
There was n comfortable Democratic
majority In this House. AMI ordinarily
there would have been little doub,
about turning out a Republican, bu,
such was McIIinlcy's hold on the lead
Ing Democrats of the HOusc-hls col
leagues on the Ways AMI Means Com
mlttce-that this case soon became OnC
national Importance.
Mckinley not only had the speeches
OF Ranney and the other leading Re
publlcans Of the House made In his be
half, but some Of the most famou,
Democrats Of that time entered hi,
| lists ana sought to retain him In hl'
seat.
Such House Democrats as Roger q
Mills. now u Senator from Texas. ant
the author Of the famous mills blll:'
Frank Hurtl, OF Ohio. the best talkr
the House ever knew. ana the gren
cxcmplar Of free trade: J. e. =. Black
burn. recently u Senator from Ken
lucky. then In the prime Of his life
fiery nnd eloquent; Dorshcimcr, of New
York. big In body and big In brain,
member of the Ways and Means Com
mlttcc-cX-i.icutcnnnt Governor an,
adviser of Samuel j. ridden; ana Phi
Thompson, now wcll-knOwn charac
ter In Washlngton.-then II member 81
the House from Kentucky--all took ~
tho cudgels for Mckinley and mad,
speeches In his behalf on the floor.
Against the formidable list was pit
ted Turner, of Georgia, serving his sec
Ond term In Congress. With that tidcl
ity and care which has characterized
his Congressional career. Mr.. Turner
made himself master of every detail
of the case. The evidence was ut III,
fingers tips. and. with the precedcnt'
Of the United States Congress. til,
British Parliament and Of all legisln
tive bodies that might have bearing
on the case thoroughly fixed In hl'
mind he commenced his argument.
The Georgian was practically OF
trial, and his fettle rose ut the OppOsi
ton to his report by these leading
Democrats. 1t was freely predicted be
fore he spoke that these leaders wOult
secure enough votes to have McIiinle!
keep his seat.
For more than an hour Turner spoke
and during that time he held the House
spellbOund by his logic and elOQuence
One after the other he demolished TIN
arguments Of the Republicans AM
Democrats, ana when he had finished
he had won his spurs and an ovation
from his listeners.
So powerful and convincing wa