New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-04-13
WASHINGTON NEWS NOTES.

THE SPEAKERS "DESPOTISM"-One OF the
duties OF the Speaker OF the House OF Represent
atives is 10 sign each month. certificate In FAVOR
Of each Representative and Delegate which entities
him receive his salary. The task Is pure.y
mechanical. and naturally 1t sometimes seems TX
some. but Mr. Reed did appear to hnd II so the
other day. As he suspended his pen over partlcu-
lar certificate he chucSled and said; NOW. JUST
pause and consider what despotc power possess
Here SIT pen In hand and II | should refuse 10
put my signature these certificates members
% nG sf .nef pay ho az do snc S thing as
even Jerry Simpson would have good reason 10
complain. and every other member would sympa-
thize with him. 1t would be a good deal worse
than what he calls my arbitrary refusal 20 appoint
the committees"
IN HOPE OF REwARD-"I wonder what chair
manship Mr.. Mahany expects TO get when the COM
mittees appointed?' asked member OF the
House OF another yesterday. The question was In
.pIred by the fact that when Jerry simpson. In the
debate. loudly demanded that the committees should
forthwith be appointed and coupled his demand
with personal thrust al the Speaker he was yigo--
ously appauded by Mr. Mahany. who was the only
Republican WHO did so. although he had the COM
pany OF few Democrats.
HOUSE ELECTION CONTEsTs.-It is known
that contests for the seats Of d number OF members
OF the House OF Repres entatves have been begun
and Il has beer asserted by severa. prominent
Democrats and published in many newspapers that
IL the clamor for the appointment OF the standing
committees continues the Speaker will respond to
the exten, Of appointing the Committees on Elec-
lions and tina, the House vii. be called upon at an
early day 10 consider and dispose o, number OF
the contested The result. 1t has been said
will inevitably be the unseatng OF a number OF
Democrats THESE are wild assertions and would
be deliberately made by who knew any
thing about the Jaw governing proceedings in con-
tested election cases In the House OF Represent
atives. In the ordinary course Of procedure the
Elections Committee cannot obtain jurisdiction and
begin the trial OF contested election within
less than nine months after the election out
OF which it arises In the first place the contest.
ant ia allowed thirty days after the result OF the
election is officially determined. which in many Of
the States is unit. thirty days after the election
in which 10 his notice o. contest. second. the
person who has receive! the certificate OF election
is entitled to thirty days IN which file his answer
10 the notice o. contest third. ninety days are Al
lowed for the taking testimony by the parties
the contest fourth after the taking Of testimony
ceTR S H He Of S % 10 upon
the receipt thereof: shall give notice the parties
twenty days. Tor the purpose Of being present a;
the opening OF the scale packages OF testimony
fftb. after the testimony shall have been printed
which requires considerable time. the contestant IL
allowed thirty days in which 20 file printed brief
in support Of his case; sixth, the contestee is al
lowed Ike period Of thirty days after receiving
contestants brief in which 10 file printed bri,t IN
his own beHalt seventh the contestant. II hs de-
sires, may have thirty days more In which TO
;he duty of the c.erk Of the House TO lay the test
mTony, in an election case before IN. Committee on
Elections at the earliest opportunity" hut that
cannot be done until after it has been printed Ii
the majority OF the House Of Representatives. should
desire to have contested election considere
and disposed Of az this sesson-of which there Is no
do un.ess the session should. last until mdsua-
Tner. Suppose for example, that notice OF cor
ties; served In case December go 1928
The time allowed by law for the taking OF tes;l-
mony in that case would no, expire until Nav l.
1897. and the could be ODenel tn
the Public Printer before MAY 90 The printing OF
the record would probably take several weeks. and
after that had beer done the conestee could claim
testants brief should be ready as soon as the printed
record, so that al he earliesr IN. complete case
could not be submitted TO the Elections Committee
for exsmina ton before the middle OF July
BENCHES INSTEAD OF DEsKs-Representa-
tive Beach. OF Ohio thinks 1t would be good idea
to substitute benches for the desks In the House
He says they would occupy much less space tn IN
the desks and chairs now do. and that the new ar
rangement would insure the preservation OF better
is not at all original with Mr.. Beach II first
Of * s ass by
also been very cry, much inclined to expeimsnt n THIS
innovation Just now he is most concerned in keep
Ing the House from doing any business. and will
ito e q the Beach pro.e Many
bers strongly object 10 the proposed new departure
and It will NEE: with vigorous objection II seriously
proposed. These members contend that the pres
ent arrangement Of seats and desks In the House
could be made. They say. there Is difficulty
whatever in securing the closest attention In the
tention. The desks ar. Of great convenience. be-
because members are enabled TO conduct portions
coed with the preparation o. speeches
THE MOST WHOLESOME DIET IN THE
WORLD.-When Representative Sayers ex-chair-
man OF the House Appropriations Committee
ID ~ he "a her. ~ ~
House. goes down to lunch he INDUCES In corn
bread ard bacon. 1t is the most wholesome diet
in the world says he. and believe that every
man ought to eat his heartiest meal in the middle
remember ,nr once said ai Mr. Savers s yester n
coming down 10 lunch and sitting at the same
table with the late w. l.. Scott, OF Pennsylvania
He asked 10 lunch with him. and passed me the
bill OF fare without looking AZ II. | ordered a
pint OF butterm!lk It big piece OF hot corn bread
ana some broed bacon. Mr.. Scott looked AT me
with asonishme1t DO you intend 70 est that
he said. I wOuli give million dollars this minute
il co9d ea meS Ike mat and d ,6ie ana
! would no. exchang- places with him FOR two
MN 70, man 10 keen beaithv is 10 ost nlain
food" ard he went on munching his corn bread
with great satisfaction.
VIOLATING IT'S OWT TAWS-The concrete
paY.raert laid In the Capitol grounds in 1875
cos. the United States 1872 IS but the
who laid the pavement infringed what arc
known a the Schillirgar patents. the exclusive
RICH, in which for this city was then held by
Charles NJ Roberts dea ]. Since that time the
Supreme Court has sustained the validity Of the
patents and the Court OF Claims mas held that
the claim OF Roberts for royalty. amounting TO
M present stands. the United States is in the
position o.! violating It's own patent laws. A bill
10 pay this claim the Roberts estate passed the
Senate at the last session. and has already been
favorably reported 10 the Senate at this session.
APJZON NJ riv
appoi~ tments looked for Is that OF the Governor Of
Arizona. The term of the present official expires
I'm few days. II has been positively predicted
tina; Burt Dunlap. a former Ohio man. but for
fifteen years a resident of Arizona, would get the
appointment but this Is denied by friends OF other
candidates. The who is most strongly In
dorsed for the place is NJ. II. McCord. he has the
support Of National Committeeman Griffith and Of
ex-Representative Murphy. He also has other