The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-02-09
PLoWMAN'S PROSPECT POOR.
REPUBLICAN HOUSE ALMOST SURE
To UNsEAT HIM.

The Majority of the Committee on
OF Seating the Republican COntes-
tant-Mr. Taylor Opens the Debate
with an Elaborate Argument i'm
Favor of Sustaining the Majority
RepOrt-Mr. Fox Follows for the
Minority.
Washington, Feb. SIN the House to-day
a bill was passed authorizing the Lewiston
and Concord Bridge Company to construct
and maintain bridge across the Snake
river between Idaho and Washington
The Senate amendment to the agricul-
tural appropriation bill were disagreed to
and the bill was sent to conference. Messrs.
Wadsworth, Warner and Williams were
appointed conferees.
Mr.. Taylor, Rep, of Ohio, chairman of
elections committee, No. 1 then called up
the contested election case of William f.
Aldrich versus Thomas S. Plowman, from
the Fourth Alabama district.
Mr.. Plowman, the sitting member. Is
Democrat, and Mr.. Aldrich. was the Popu-
list and Republican candidate The ma
jority of the committee reported solidly in
favor of unseating Mr.. Plowman.
Mr. Taylor, who opened the debate with
an elaborate argument in favor of sustain
ing the majority report. deplored the fact
that a partisan body was called upon to
pass upon an election case. but in this
particular instance he said, there had
been no draft-upon his political prejudices.
He explained the Alabama election laws,
which, he said could not have been franz
ed more effectively to encourage fraud
and thwart the peoples will. The Hitter
ate voter, he said was absolutely at the
mercy of the ticket marker.
Mr.. Fox, Dem. of Mississippi, present
ed the case of the minority, which re-
ported that Mr.. Plowman was entitled to
his seat He dwelt upon the fact that
Mr.. Aldrich was not the regular nominee
of the Republican party and was opposed
on the stump by leading Republicans and
Populists, and that any assumption that
he commanded the full strength OF the
Republicans and Populists of the district
was unwarranted
While there was a time, said Mr.. Fox,
when the magic names of Lincoln and
Grant, together with a baseless fear that
the domination of their former masters
might again impress them into slavery,
kept the negroes solid, that time had
gone. Republicans of the North had no
right to assume that every negro was
Republican because his skin was black
He controverted the claim that a con-
spiracy existed, and maintained that re-
vision of the returns in accordance with
the testimony would still give Mr.. PIow-
man a plurality of 2,4S7.
Mr.. Mann, Rep, of Illinois, a member
of the committee who followed i'm con-
GLIDING his argument in favor of the ma
jority report, said he had gone into the
case with his prejudices in favor of the
South. His people were all Southerners
But after examination of the testimony
fraud was patent, and he could but con-
denim condition, which, by conspiracy,
sought to control the Congress of the Uni
ted States and legislate through fraud for
the business interests of the country. He
appealed TO his Republican associates to
vote to seat ''the man who in the face
Of vilihcation had the nerve and man
hood to say to the rascals who pursued
him: / will fight you till die
Mr.. Settle, Dem. of Kentucky, another
member of the committee, in opening his
argument, said that while he feared the
! verdict against Mr.. Plowman was al
ready made up. he could not believe that
honest men would seize upon combina-
ton of Isolated Irregularities, none of
! which amount TO actual fraud, as SOP to
| conscience and vote to unseat a fellow
| member simply because he was a Demo-
| crat. Mr.. Settle was very severe in his
! condemnation of Mr.. Aldrich's tactics. His
remarks were given close attention and
| frequently aroused his political associates
to manifestations of enthusiastic applause
! some OF his salies were applauded even
! by the Republicans.
Without completing his argument he
! yielded to motion to adjourn, and at sos
! O'Clock, the House adjourned