Evening star., 1897-01-20
THE HOUSE.

Before the Yost-Tucker contested cleo
tion case from the tenth Virginia district
was called up in the House today there
was ti call OF committees, and several bills
were passed, as follows: To provide an
American register for the bark E. c. Now
att; to grant certificates of service TO tele-
graph operators who served during the
war; to amend the laws relating to the gen.
eral land office so as to reduce the fees
to be charged for taking testimony from
10 to 10 cents per hundred words, and to
withdraw the privilege of excess fees row
allowed at land Offices west Of the Rocky
mountains.
The contested election case was called up
by Mr.. Mccall (Mass.), chairman of COM
1t gave promise of being the most interest
ing, as we'll as the most bitterly contested,
case brought before the House during this
Congress. The majority of the committee,
found for the contestee, Mr.. Harry ST.
George Tucker. a democrat. who has rep
resented his district in four Congresses A
minority of two republicans. Walker Of
Virginia and Thomas of Michigan, brought
in report in favor of the contestant, Mr..
Yost, who is a member-elect of the hext
Congress. Upon the face of the returns
Mr.. Tucker received 12.422 votes and Mr..
Yost 1920. The case hinged upon the
Justice of the Virginia election law with
regard to imperfect ballots, and the claim
of the contestant that the returns fr6 m
one county should be discarded owing to
the imperfect printing of ballots and IL
legal instructions to election officers.
What "a Recount Developed.
A recount of the ballots which counted
certain caption marked" and 'blotted"
ballots still gave Mr.. Tucker plurality of
332. There were some 2,711 ballots re-
jected because of imperfect marking, the
Virginia law requiring that in scratch
ing he must cross three-fourths Of the let
ters of the name of the man he did not
wish TO vote for. Counting these ballots in
which the contestants friends contended
that the intent of the voter was plainly
figured. Mr.. Yost's plurality was 2.059 Mr.
Codding Pa.), a member of the committee
who signed the report of the majority,
opened the debate in favor of sustaining
that report and confirming Mr.. fuckers
title to the seat
MIR. YOst for Himself.
Mr.. Yost the contestant, followed Mr.
Codding with an hours speech in his own
behalf, the House by unanimous consent
according him this privilege.
He described the alleged manner in
which the democratic election officials
Those who rob men on the highway of
their purses said he, "are not less culp-
able than these chivalrous Virginians, who
assaulted the weak and robbed them of
their birthright." Republican applause)
He concluded with an eloquent appeal to
the House for justice.
Mr.. Jenkins Wis.), also a member of the
elections committee who signed the major
ity report deprecated such partisan
speeches" as the House had just listened
to from the contestant It was easy
enough, he said. to fire the northern heart
by tales of election outrages and fraud
in the south. but, he said. '.in all the south
ern election cases have examined during
my congressional career have found MOTH
ing so disgraceful or unlawful as that
which has occurred recently In Pennsyi-
vania. where I understand they are all