Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1897-04-29
HOW WILLIS HAS 8lUNDERED.
Ills Contest for Seat in Congress
Practically Abandoned.

j
His Contest for a Seat in Congress
Practically Abandoned.
Failed to Comply with tho Lava Belief
That the Contest was Merely scheme
TO Hsip Addieks, and That it Failed In
Its Object.
Special Correspondence Of Gazette and Journal
Washington. April "a. The indica-
tions are that Congressman Handy will
be allowed to retain his seat in the
House without formal protest by ex
Congressman Willis, bis opponent last
fall, although ths latter haa In measure
given notice that he will contest for
tho seat. All the documents relative
TO the contest which have thus far been
Sled With the clerk of the House on
Mr.. Willis behalf have been placed
with that Official by Mr.. Handy him.
Eelf. Mr.. Willis has not manifested the
slightest interest in the case. 1t will
no doubt be the policy OF this House to
discourage contests which are based
upon uDsubstantial grounds. Contests
are not only expensive. but they occupy
much of the time Of tho House, and in
| view OF the fact that the remaining
sessions of the present Congress are TO
he consumed in the consideration OF
vitally important business to the party,
the Republican Leaders will discounten-
ance all contests except those which on
their face show very close election
results and good grounds for proceed.
ings by the contestant. The Republic
cane are entirely satisfied with their
majority in the House and are not apt
| to pursue the policy that has married
their decisions in election cases In the
House in the past, that OF encouraging
Republican nominees for Congress TO
contest seats of Democrats whenever an
| excuse, no matter how trivial, could he
| found.
Asids from these considerations, how
ever. it js generally conceded that from
a strictly legal standpoint Mr.. Willis
has perfected all right 10 6le further
documents and proceed With contest
| The time when he should have filed
the evidence taken 10 the case has long
since expired, and 1t is doubtful that
il be decides to forward this necessary
part OF the case to the clerk ct the
House it will be received. Mr.. Willis
has made continuous series OF plumbers
probably through lack of real interest
in the case, siEce he began proceedings
in the contest, Ii was On December Sd
last that be first gave his competitor
notice that he would contest the seat.
According to law the proposed con-
testant ia allowed 30 days after the can
vass OF the vote in which to tiIe notice.
Mr.. Willis. however, did not even wait
until the Congressional vote had been
canvaFHed, which vas palpabie error
on his part and one which would mani,
testify work to his disadvantage, mas.
much as he assumed before the official
count had been made that Mr.. Handy
had polled the greater number OF votes.
The canvass was not made until several
weeks after he had fled his notice.
On December 29.h, Mr.. Handy an
Hwered Mr.. Willis notice. which had
been filed with the clerk of the House.
After having received Mr.. Handy 8
answer, which contained exceptions to
the statements contained in Mr. Willis
notice, ii was the duty of the latter to
take testimony in the case WITHIN 40
days Mr.. Willis then had until Febru-
AIRY 9Th and not one day later in which
TO gather testimony in his behalf. II
was not until March lst, however, that
MIR. Willis gathered bis witnesses al
Georgetown and proceeded with the
testimony.
Noting that they had exceeded the
time limit, Mr.. Willis and his friends
sought tn get Mr.. Handy in attendance
at the Georgetown hearings. II Mr..
Handy had attended it would have con.
yeyed an acquiescence in their delay
and would have been the peans OF an,
nulliDg any objection which might
have been made later that Mr.. Willis
had not taken bis testimony within this
, time set aside by law. but Mr.. HANDY
wisely abseuted himself, thereby max
ing the proceedings void.
The law in Congressional contests ex
, plicitIy provides that all testimun,
taken by contestants shall be forwarded
iu sealed envelope to the clerk of thi
House Immediately after it shall hay,
been concluded. Mr.. Willis and couu
sci began taking testimony at George
town on March LIST. They concluded
.Rhout March 9th. Forty nine days, o
almost two months, have elapsed, ant
the testimony has not yet put in III
. appearance. 1t has been the practic
in the past to enforce the law relativ
TO contests to the letter. II this /
: done 10 the Willis- Handy case the testi
i mnny of Mr.. Willis will be rejected
q although an exception may he mad
. and the contestant allowed to file til
: testimony. In view of his genera
!; laxity in the matter, however. th
: chances of even gaining any more pre-
y liminary steps are decidedly agains
:, him.
Up to date Mr.. Willis has paid yer
Z little attention to the case, and it
! believed that it was only in the hon
y of aiding the Addicks people in th
y Senatorial fight that the contest wa
= instituted, and that as no beneticit
results TO Mr.. Addicks were ohtaine
the case was allowed to drop. Nj
Willis is quoted as saying in Delawar
some time ago that he bad no hope {
" being seated by this Congress, and thu
Re he could not sec the praeticability
" fling protest. Delaware Democrat
ID at any rate, are not losing any sleep ovt
70 the situation and are absolutely cot
II iident that Mr.. Handy will be above
Ia to serve the full term.
w AROTHE R INDUsTRF IN SIGRT.
70 Arrangements About Completed for Brin
ing n Textile Plant Here.