Warren sheaf. [volume] (Warren, Marshall County, Minn.) 1880-current, 1897-02-18

01coA CuaTS0 dAdlieS AefE, Ch1lcu aE
the foreign Office and presented u note
expressly stating that the Greek gov.
eminent had decided to prevent Turk
ish troops from debarking in Crete by
all the means in it's power.
A BIT OF HISTORY
CORRESPONDENT CoWEN REVIEWS
| THE CoATEs-HALL CONTEST.
Change OF Opinion From Coates to Hall
Legal Techutcal,ties Had to Go in til.
Face. of the Clear Intention of the
Voters - Election Law Amend ments.
Iron Ore Tax-Repeal "f the stru: X
Jury L.w-Conv.ct L,bor Prob en-.
Sr. PAUL, Feb. l6.-[Special 1.-The
state poultry show, with all its noisy
cackling, ended Saturday night, and
the Legislative mill, which had been
shut down for three days, resumed
business Monday afternoon at tie old
stand, and statesmen-orators will have
no competition this week.
One Of the somewhat surprising
events just prior to the recess was this
decision in the Coates. Hall contest in
the house. The elections committee
reported in favor of the seating OF
Coates, the Republican contestant, but
that action was reversed by the Repub.
hc.sn house by the surprisingly large
vote of 80 to ID. This is the second
contest in the house, both contestants
being Republicans, and in both in
stances the Republicans voted against
their party associate, members declar.
ing in explanation that party was i'm
portant but principle and justice wern
the deciding influences. Populist Don
nelly last week welcomed the spirit OF
fairness shown by the speeches Oh the
Coates. Hall contest, and expressed the
belief that it would be to the present
and. future credit of the Re-
publican party. The secret his
tory of the Coates Hall contest
is interesting. The elections commit
tee had reported in favor of Mr.. Coates
and OH Wednesday it was thought the
report would be adopted, although a
few questions seemed to indicate
strong tendency the other way. The
contest turned Oh technicality, elec-
ton officers having failed to quality
properly. BY throwing out the votes
received by such unqualified officers Il
majority was made for Coates, but
there was no question raised as to the
legal rights of the voters thus disfran-
chised. This was the point which
struck nearest the heart Of the matter.
Members believed that the first thing
to be considered was whether the vot-
crs were qualified, and then whether
ignorance OF law shown by election OF.
ticers should make qualified voters SUI
Ter penalty. 1t was stated that in
most rural districts slight technical
violations of the intricate election law
were almost unavoidable, and if such
technicalities were allowed to over
throw the plain will OF the people every
country member was liable to have iii
election contest on his hands, These
We're the arguments of the members Oh
Thursday, Wednesday night having
been given to the arguments by the at
torneys. After the night session five
of the Republican leaders met
in the room of one OF them-whether
by accident or by design matters not
and discussed the contest. Until that
time there was al undercurreat in ia.
vor of Hall but everything pointed 70
the seating Of Contestant Coates. 1t is
uncertain whether anything final was
decided on at this conference but it
was evident when the discussion was
taken up the next morning that there
was a decided change of opinion, and
as jacobson, Johns, Feig and Staples
expressed themselves against the re.
port OF the committee those still waver.
ing were brought over and the ringing
speech of Abbott, whose namo heads
the roll call, clin' nd things, and the
overwhelming vote resulted. AS an
incident showing how unexpected was
the vote what occurred ut the reporters
table may be told. These ) Dung men
keep close watch Of the proceedings
and can usually be relied on to predict
with reasonable accuracy the general
result Of almost any vote. AS the dis
cussion WIS about to begin on Thurday
morning there was q canvass OF those
about the long press table. The ques-
ton was not, Which will VIM" but
Nv That will Halls vote be r The an.
.swefs ranged from ~ TO 81, the last be-