Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-02-11
REPORT AGAINST EPES
PARTISAN DECISION PRESENTED
TO THE House.
GENERAL WALKERS EARROWNESS.
Refusal 10 Give Proper Time for Pre-
pnration OF Minority Reporf-Enr-
nest Plea for Such Opportunity
Made In Vain.

WASHINGTON. February 1o-(speoiaI.)
| General Walker to-day. when he pre-
sented the majority report unseating Rep
resentative Epes. showed more than
usual OF his narrow and bitter partisan
ship. 1t developed during the debate
that the Republican members of the
committee had voted for the report with
out having read II, or having II read TO
them. Mr.. Walker. on presenting it, re-
quested that the minority should have
! only until next Wednesday to file their
| report Later I'm the debate he said that
| he had not even requested that time for
them. but the Speaker held that he had
and that the House had given consent for
that short time.
Republicans were disgusted that
| Walker should refuse to grant a reason
able time for the preparation OF the
minority report. Walker had expected to
| call up the case next Thursday for ac-
ton. but later General Henderson, of
Iowa, requested that the bankruptcy Dill
| be taken up which request was agreed
| to- This will occupy the House until
! Tuesday week No doubt the Republi-
| can leaders took up the bankruptcy Dill
| because they were determined not 10
! crafty Walker in his insatiate haste 10
| deprive Mr. Epes of the seat 10 which ne
was fairly elected
! General Walkers conduct IN TINS case
! iustifes the action of Mr. Codding'
! Republican from Pennsylvania, who de-
| clined to serve on the committee Win
Walker, assigning as his reason that ne
! served with him last year, and knew MS
| high-handed and partisan metnous' 10
| which he could not submit. 1ehe'ai
! Walkers partisanship surpasses ahy'mns
| that has ever been known here before III
| contested election cases miser does
| not gloat over his gold nor retain u
| within his own grasp more eagerly thah
| Walker takes to himself the virginia
| contested election cases. He nrst hau
| himself appointed chairman OF the com
mittee TO consider these cases. Inell, as
chairman. he assigned the Thorp-bpes
and the Brown n-Swanson contests 10 MS
own subcommittee. He could not trust
a subcommittee of Republicans from
| other States with these cases. Such con-
| duct has never been heard Of here before
| II is presumed that his Subcommittee
| will also report against Mr. swanson,
| because IL is to be remembered that
| the Swanson case was argued iIniheu-
! ately after the Epes case, ana walker
| took that TO nlmStlI dl~bs - N"'@ f~
| dicted at the time that these cases were
| ca assigned i'm order that an early report
unseating the sitting members might Dc
obtained
THE DEBATE.
General Walker to-day asked leave 10
nresent the report Of the committee Oh
the contested election case OF Ihorp vs.,
Enes. and that the minority have untii
wednesday next to file their views.
THE Speaker: The gentleman from Nlr-
ginia presents the report, and asks ina,
the minority have until "Wednesday mex.
to file their report. Is there opJecuoh
The Chair hears none. a.. a..
Mr. Niers. of Indiana. asked that the
time for the minority to file their views
he extended for ten days. lie stated the
facts in a very brief manner. This case
was argued on January lOtn.
Mr.. Bailey. Mr.. Speaker
The Sneaker: The gentlemen VIII take
their seats. .,.,- +,or
Mr. Walker: We talked this matter
| over in committee, and endeavored ~
| accommodate the gentlemen interested III
| tbis case. but were unable to do so. One
of the members. who is familiar with the
| case will be absent after next week ioi
two or three weeks, and TO give this
time would postpone the considera'ioh
Of the case. .,., ouoa
Mr. Miers: VIII the gentleman aho"
me TO ask him question?
Mr.. Walker: Certainly.
Mr. Nriers: If you will but hear my
| statement ...aor !
Mr. Walker: / beg your pardon
thought you had concluded.
I-NFAIRNESS TO MINORITY.
Mr.. Miers. continuing: think you VII
n.,tbdrau, anv objection. AS / was about
to state. this case was argued on 1ahu
arv 10Th. n month ago to-day. ms COM
,,ittea has had seven hotly-contesteo
election cases. in which it has hearo ar
ouments-hearing five arguments III hFe
| hour sessions of the committee SO ina
the time Of the committee has peeh very
largely taken up in hearing arguments
and | have not had much tine 10 CIV
nc case any thought. In this particular
~. - Tho chairman of the committee
Nr Crumpacker, of Indiana ana Hysei
vrere made subcommittee NOW
,,ant IA make this statement: As tn'
croal,er knows, and members or th'
committee on Pensions know, we nave
had meetings Of that committee wv
mornings every week. ! have peen OF
H. door of the House on two FRIDAY
richts in the mean time, so that nave
not had much time up to TINS point
! had positive engagement WIN '
chairman that / should have Friday an'
Saturday of this week and next Mon
dov 10 be absent from this city W'
| agreed that whatever came up l shoul'
| have those three days. not To pe couhte
i'm The time. Since that have had let
ter requesting me TO keep that engage
uoent. So IL will be impossible TOT me ''
he present until next Tuesday morning
we have here report by the majority
of III pages Of closely typewriter mat
ter The record Is record OF z'oV
nages Now, Mr. Speaker, II seems u
me that il IS unfair that l should be re
ouired in one day TO make and formulate
the views of the minority on record
Gao pages and a report OF III pages
simnIv ask that ! may have ten day'
from this date, one week afte' coin'
hack. for the purpose Of preparing th'
minority report.
PLEA FOR PROPER TIME.
want To say, Mr.. Speaker, that In IN
last month. by reason OF the work OF TN
no,omtttee and other committee work,
| -. ,,orlxed from thirteen 10 fourteen
hours every day. 1 am willing to con
ttn,,a II until we get this report befor'
the House | appreciate the argumen
on tho other side, that heretofore ther
has been too mucn tme cohsuiheo
,,ror these cases. and / do not want ia
consume any more tme In TINS Cast
than seems 10 be absolutely necessary
simply want time to formulate the Vie"
of the minority, and place them on me
and then | shan not ask any more time
for its consideration than Is aosoiuse':
Al~..ma hnf