New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-02-10
NR. ALDRICH GETS THE SEAi.
THE HOUSE DECIDES THE ELECTION coNih'i
FROM THE WITH ALABAMA DISTRICT.

THE uorfsE DECIDES THE ELECTION CONTEST
FROM THE WITH ALABAMA DISTRICT.
w.sb,nyton Feb Q (SpeciaD.-Tn the contested
eIac,ion case OF William i. Aldrch. KepupHcaii'
against Thomas VI. Powman, Free silver De"'o
crat Of the IVth Alabama District the Ao"'e "
Representatives to-day decided. by vote o. 40 ~
ll2 that the former was entitled 10 the sea' ',''
tho oath OF Office was administered - i''' -
Sneaker Reed The North Carolina Popullsts VINO
were presen; voted in the affirmative ana the
Uee,ern ponusts I'm the negative. There are no
Sound Money Democrats in the House, ana 'hero-
fore all the so-caled Democrats VINO Fo'eu "''0
recorded in ,he negative few dodged the VOTE
In the light of the testimony Aldrch was clearly
entitled to he seated. and after the mastery ah"-
vsts and exposit!on of the evidence by CHAIRMAN
Tavlor OF the Elections Committee yesterday
there was no doubt as 10 what the Verdict Oh inc
House would be- This was the eleventh successive
contest from the WITH District. which was orls'-
nally set apart by the Democratic Legislature 10
be the sole Republican district in Alabama ana II
remains n Republican. or at least an anti-De'no-
cratic district to-day, despite the fact that us
boundaries have twice been changed. AT nrst II
was known as the BLACK District because us
lines had been so laid down as to includf,as large
2 norton as possible of the colored voters OF tne
state substantially all OF whom were then as they
are to-day Republicans. At present five OF the six
counties which compose the district have pre-
ponderance Of white voting population, ana the
district AZ a whole has a like preponderahce WHICH
in 1890 amounted 10 nearly 300 votes
II is a noteworthy fact that even according 20
the returns Of the Democratic officials VINO cam
vassed the vote and who had charge OF the election
machinery and despite the fact that Democratic
frauds were committed in two OF the white
counties. Aldrich received plurality OF the coa' m
bued vote OF the five white counties. ne, az,
legged majority Of Plowman was Wnolly ontaIHeu
i'm the strongest Republican county In the distrlc
This IS the county of Dallas. In Wnlcn the coIolcu
voting population outnumbers the white by MOI e
than 5000 In that county. as the testimony clear y
showed the grossest and most glaring frauds were
committed tor the benefit of Plowman, ana accord
inc TO the official returns MS plurality In the county
exceeded 3Go votes. -, $40,
The debate which preceded the vote to-day was
Interesting and Instructive. but by no means eX-
citing EXCEPT In the respect tnat one or TWO OF
the speakers dashed themselves into a state OF
physical and mental disorder which the circum-
stances did not appear TO warrant rms "as esp
cally true in the of poor Mr.; bartlett or
minority Mr. Settle. of Kentucky, finished the
speech which he began yesterday, and wnlcn; IN
some respects, the strongest one IN behalf OF
the sitting member. Mr.. Linney, the North caro-
tee who has had some personal experience with
Democratic election methods In his day-althougn
bv no means so painful as those which Repubncan
ca ndidates in Alabama have 10 undergo eliVered
OF his effective speeches, ana MS quaint
phrases and quick. sharp retorts did much 10 en-
liver. the House. which had begun 10 grow drowsy;
Mr. Hamilton. OF Michigan, also spoke IN behall
OF the contestant and Mr.. Taylor. OF Ohio, closed
the debate on that side
Neither during the debate nor the taking and
announcement OF the vote were witnessed such
scenes as became familiar like occasions In the
List Congress- when for the first time Democrat 8
were taught that minority rule in the House OF
REPRESENTATIVES, would no longer be tolerated. The
change was a most agreeable one.