Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-01-16
THE FIELD AGAINST SCOTT
Status of the Contest for the West Virginia
Senatorship
Combinations Not Likely to Succeed
Republican Caucus to BE
Held Thursday.
cial Dispatch TO The Evening Star.

Speclst blspstch 10 The Evening Star.
CHARLESTON, w. ", January 16.-
There is little change in the senatorial stu
alton this morning. There is much that is
contingent upon result of the contest now
before the house and senate over disputed
seats. but it is admitted that in no event
Will the republican majority on joint ballot
be wiped out This, SO far as the condition
now appears, renders it a foregone con-
clusion that the republicans will elect the
senator.
Developments last night and a careful
canvass of the situation clearly indicate
that Commissioner n. B. Scott has the field
against him. He is at this time clearly in
the lead however, and 1t would take a
strong combination to defeat him. The
movement to bring new candidates into the
ned IN a combination to defeat him does
not seem 10 nave as smooth sailing as was
expected The Scott forces stand solid and
unshaken Governor Atkinson's following
also seems intact, and certain combina-
lions, While they will be factor, are not
.ikeiy TO make much Roadway. The caucus
! TO De held Thursday evening will be fully
attended, all candidates having agreed to
the date. There is absolutely no talk of a
noit; On the democratic side there is LITTLE
caucus choice. " NV
Upon the assembling of the house of dele
gates saturday the report of the majority
VI tie committee on privileges and elections
ing or Via, republican, and puttinp tho
democratic contestant, Logan on the rolls
Inc motion for immediate consideration ac-
companying the report was decided II, ~,
dihrnatlFe by a vote of "a to 3d. the mi
noflty report maintaining the validity Of
via title was also submitted and thus tho
contest for supremacy was begun
Inc matter was debated during the morn
ing and afternoon sessions and late in tha
evening a vote was taken, resulting much
10 the surprise and chagrin of the demo-
crats' IN Tie vote, "a to "a. and, therefore
ne ueIeat or the motion. Two democrats
Iaylor of Wayne county and HAYES az
elmer, had voted with the renublicane
Inc question involved was whether or NOT
the pr1ma facfe right to seat was vested
III ' Id or MS democratic opponent who
was contesting; the merits of the contro-
Fersy to be passed upon later by the regular
committee on privileges and elections
The democrats soon recovered and
member member arose and moved that the an
houhcement OF the vote be postponed until
MONDAY Goday) at 10 O'Clock This motion
prevailed by vote of SO to 30 and the
house adjourned
The incident the talk of the town
naturally, and the democratic steerers ser
ABOUT TO induce their recaIcitrants to re-
turn to the fold. They had all of SATURDAY.,
hlSht ana Sunday in which to work and
declared they would have them back over
the fence before the announcement of the
vote.
In this they were successful This morn
q.
democrats reversing themselves and like
wise reversing the verdict of Saturday This
gives the seat, pending further contest. 10
the democrat. The two DISSENTING dame
Gratis explained that they did not under
stand the question when they voted with
the republicans Saturday.
Ihe Dent-Brohard contest will be decided
PROBABLY this evening.
On the SI>irmish Line.
The situation is that both sides are skirm-
lshlng-the democrats to prevent the re-
publican majority from becoming effec-
tive, the republicans to avoid a sur
prise in the wiping out of their majority.
Leading men of both parties insist that the
honor and integrity of the State-its good
name and reputation-are of more conse-
quence than the United States senatorship
and that the wholesale unseating of mem
Ders, merely for the sake of making or
breaking majority, will not be tolerated
The democrats have elected a professedly
conservative man for speaker, who, while
being strictly party man, is not favorable
to an overturning policy. He has made some
rulings to which objections were made ION
the other side" but he smiiingly turned the
tables 10y informing the House that he was
following the rules laid down in manual
prepared by Speaker Reed of the national
legislature, and he held the little book nm
that al might see it. On the whole Speak
er Mckinney may be depended upon re-
publlcans say, to rule justly. He said TODAY
IN discussing matters, privately that he
would regret to see the legislature get into
a state similar to that which General Sher-
man applied, to war.
The democrats concede that the repubJi-
cans have majority, and that they may
elect Senator Faulkner's successor They
are hoping that the republicans will get
into snarl and lose their present advan-
tage There is some discussion of the stains
OF the war senators-the two who served for
a time as officers in the volunteer army,
but who resigned before the present SEES
SION OF the legislature opened. The repub-
hcans, contending for majority of five
are determined to preserve at least a ma
Jority of three, in order that no contest
can pc made on the non-eligibility of the
war senators.
prominent democratic delegate said to
The Star correspondent today however
that he did not believe his party would
make a contest before the United States
Senate on that issue.
CONSTRIING An Old TiRIEE