The news & observer., 1897-01-22
The Virginia Contested Elec-
tion Case Decided.
THE CONTESTEE SPEAKS
REPUBLICANS VOTE
WITH THE DEMOCRATS.
ON The VERGE OF A DEAD LOCK
Mr.. Turpie Concludes t7ls Speech in
Opposition to the Nicaragua Canal
Bill -fill on Trusts and
MoEopolies.

Washington, Jan. 21.-After a two
days debate, in the course OF which con-
siderable partisan passion was aroused,
and an Intellectual attempt to tilibuster
for the purpose Of gaining time, the
House to-day decided the contested cleo
ton case of Yost VS.. Tucker from the
Tenth Virginia district, by denying the
seat to Mr.. Yost and confirming Mr..
fuckers title thereto. The Republicans
were badly divided, fiftyfour of them
joining with the Democrats and sup
porting the claims of the Democratic
contestee.
When the supporters Of Mr.. Yosts
contentious found they were defeated by
Il narrow margin of eight votes 1.-THE
vote being 119-12O against him, they
inaugurated filibuster in the hope of
gaining time, and for two hours there
were succession of roll calls but they
were finally oyerpowered by numbers
and the resolutions confirming Mr.. Tuck
er's title to mis- seat were adopted. Mr.
1ost is Il member-eleet of the next House.
aud Mr.. Tucker, who is a son Of Ran
dolph Tucker, has been member Of the
last four Congresses. He declined Il
denomination because he did not agree
with his party on the money question. IL
the debate to-day Messrs. Thomas (Rep.,
Mich.l, Taylor (Rep., Ohio, Lacey fRep.,
Iowa., Brumm rep, PENN, Thorp
tRep., Na.), and Walker (Rep Va(,
spoke for Mr. Yost, and Messrs. Dear
mond Dem, Mo-, Walker (Rep., Mass.),
Tucker Dem, Na.), and Mccall (Rep,
Mass.), supported the claims of the
contestee.
Mr.. Grow (Rcp., Penn.) argued that
the House should hold to the law of the
State from which the case came except
where that law was plainly meant to
confuse and trick the voter. The will of
the voters was, he said, the supreme
law Of the land and it was the highest
duty Of the House to decide what their
will was.
Mr.. Thomas (Rep., Mich), the member
OF the election committee, who joined
with Mr.. Walker in the minority report
in favor Of seating the contestant, Mr..
Yost, advocated the adoption of that
report.
Mr Tucker, the contestee, took the
floor in his own Behalf He took up what
he said seemed to be considered the pivot
al point of the case-the question of
counting the imperfect ballots. He did
not believe they should be counted, the
committee did not believe they should
be counted, but if they were counted he
declared the contestee would still have
a plurality of thirty-six
He produced some election figures to
show that his antagonist, Mr. Yost, had
not suffered by the manner in which the
ballots were printed inAmhert county.
When the debate closed at 4:30 D. m,
the vote was taken first on the minority
resolution declaring the contestant Mr..
IoSt, entitled to the seat held by Mr.
Tucker. Fifty-four Republicans voted to
seat Mr.. Tucker.
There was considerable excitement
while the vote was being taken. As soon
rs it became noised about that the con-
testant was defeated, Mr.. Thomas rep,
Mich.), changed his vote from yea to
nay, in order to be able to move a re-
consideration. When the Speaker an
nounced that the resolution was lost,
1922, Mr.. Thomas moved to recon
slider the vote and Mr.. Hepburn (Rep.,
Iewa), one of the supporters of the con-
testant, moved an adjournment, the pur-
pose being to secure time in which to
try to change the defeat into a victory.
But the supporters of Mr.. Tucker were
not disposed to abandon their advantage
and they contested the motion.
The motion to adjourn was defeated
112-121. Mr.. Call then moved to lay
Mr. Thomas motion to reconsider on the
table, which was carried, 120-105. Mr..
Hepburn (Rep., Iowa., moved that the
majority resolution confirming Mr.. Tuck
ers' title to the seat, be recommitted. The
motion was lost 1915. Mr.. Hepburn
made the point of no quorum, but the
Speaker oyerruled it amid a round Of ap-
plause. The vote then required on the res
olution declaring Mr.. Tucker entitled to
his seat. Meantime many of the Repub-
licans who favored the claim Of the CON
testant, Mr.. Yost, had left the hall in
order to break a quorum and as soon as
the Speaker announced the result OF the
rising vote 115-7, Mr.. Hepburn again
made the point OF no quorum. The
Speaker was unable to count more than
100 members. Thereupon, Mr.. Hepburn |
moved an adjournment, but Mr.. Mccall |
had the Tucker forces well in hand and |
this motion was overwhelmingly de |
feated.
They were resolved to defeat the fill |
buster snaug,lrated to gain time and al
call of the House was moved by Mr.. |
Mccall. Under the rule OF the present |
House members are compelled on the call /
OF the roll during proceedings under a
call OF the House to vote on the pending
The result of this vote was
119-47, but the Speaker counted as pres
ent II, thus making up bare quorum /
and the resolution was declared carried. |
Then at G:30 the House adjourned.
SENATE PROCEEDINGS.
Washington, Jan, 21.-vThe Senate was
on the verge Of dead lock late to-day
and for time there was prospects Of a
protracted test of endurance, extending
the session late into the night. Mr. Nor