The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-12-08
WANT SEATS IN CONGRESS
ONLY TEN CONTESTED CASES IN
THE PRESENT. HOUSE.
There Were ~ In the Last Congress
and - IN the Fifty.Fifth-9lost Of
TAem From the south-snal1
Chance for New PsbIic Duildings.
Special pIspatcIi to the post-1ntelligencer.

pedtted In the present session, according
to an agreement among Republican lead
ers. and It Is practically certain that Mr..
Taylor, of Ohio. win be chairman Of the
house committee having these cases In
charge. In the past grave abuses have
resulted from delay in passing upon the
contested claims for seats In the house,
and not only have men been kept out
OF tfeir-seats when they should have
been participating in legislation. but the
government has been put to unnecessary
expense.
In the Fifty-fourth congress contest
was allowed to drag through both ses-
sions, until two days before tine dissolu-
ton OF congress. The contestee drew
$4,000 in salary, less the salary for two
days. together with his contest fee OF
$1,000 AS the contestant was allowed
$4,000 salary and 5000 fee, It was an ex-
pensivo Job for the government.
1t Is possible that this year only one
committee on privilege of elections will
be appointed. although in the Fifty-fourth
congress, when there we're thirty-four
contests, three committees were appoint
ed, plan which was followed during the
Fifty-fifth congress. when there were
twcnty-one contests.
This year there are nominally ten con-
tests, but It Is thought that only eight
will prove troublesome. In tho Fifth
Kentucky district Evans (Republican)
against Turner (DemocraO: Evans has
been appointed to judgeship, and the
contest will probably be dropped. In
the Eleventh Kentucky district the con-
test Is between two Republicans, Boreing
and White, and the political complexion
of the house would not be changed by
the outcome.
Neither il It certain that all Of the con-
tests win be decided against the Demo-
cratic contestees. In the Mississippi case,
for instance, Jones against Catchings. the
Democrat has strong case, which, added
to his great personal popularity. viii make
In his favor.
Recall violent Scenes.
Three Of the contested election cases will
recall scenes OF bloodshed attending the
congressional election. These are Talbert
against Latimer, from the Third South
Carolina; Walker against Rhea, from the
Ninth Virginia, and Dockery against Bel
lamy, from the Sixth North Carolina. The
Talberts, It win be remembered, were run
cut Of the district after there had been
several killings. No briefs have been filed
in this case. and 1t IL understood that Tai
bert will ask for congressional commits.
sion to visit the scene and take evidence.
on the plea that he would endanger his life
by attempting to secure 1t.
In the Dockery- Bellamy affair the kill
ing of q number OF negroes at Wilmington
was not connected directly with the cleo
tion, although the trouble followed the ex-
element engendered by the campaign.
In the Walker-Rhea matter. Gen. Walker
was shot while taking testimony in his
contest. but recovered
Another contested case is Aidricn (kepub-
iican) against Robbins, from the Fourth
Alabama. Aldrich has been through sue
cessful contest before, and 1t Is claimed in
his behalf that he has even a better case
tt.avS he hoA tvx he. Il
there is Wise Rephblican) against Young,
from the Second Virginia district, and Da-
Wis (Republican) against Gilbert, from the
Eighth Kentucky.
Ex-senator Call Makes Charges.
The charges brought by former Senator
Call against Senator Talliaferro are not
causing any alarm to the latter gentleman
or to his friends. Briefly. Senator Call, in
q lengthy statement, alleged that Senator
Talliaferro was elected through the cor
rupt influences Of the Standard Oil Com
pany. A singular feature Of the affair is
that Mr. Call submitted this statement to
the industrial commission.
Now, the industrial commission has not
anything whatever to do with the election
Of United States senators, and the fact
that Mr.. Calls charges were sent to that
body excited no little curious speculation.
The secret at last Is out Some years ago
Senator Call was defeated for a reelection
by Senator Mallory, and 1t happens that
Senator Mallory Is now a member Of the
industrial commission. Mr.. Call very we'll
knew that the industrial commission had
no authority, even II it SO desired, to con-
slider the charges respecting the election
Of Senator Talliaferro.
But the fact that the Industrial COM
mission will ignore these charges will give
Mr.. Call an opportunity to go to his con-
stituents in Florida and explain that his
late successful rival. Mr.. Mallory, is to
blame for the neglect or refusal to in
vestigate the charges of corruption in the
Tallaferro case.
Report ON Nicaragua Canal.
AS indicating the improbability that the
present interoceanic canal commission will
submit report before the adjournment
of the present congress. 1t Is of interest to
know that the commission has about 500
men working in Central America The
force comprises engineers. photographers,
laborers, boatmen, etc. These men are
apportioned between the three divisions of
the work, that which Is in progress in
Nicaragua, that which is under way along
the Panama route and the Darien explo-
ration outfit.
Regular reports are not made to the
headquarters Of the commission by the en-
gineer in charge of each division, because
of the difficulties in the way Of collecting
the requisite data. The engineer-in-chief,
In charge of the work Of the division of
Nicaragua, would find 1t practically i'm
possible to get prompt and accurate re-
turns from the field parties, many of
which are just now scattered through the
bush. Means Of communication by mail
or telegraph are defective. and there are
other obstacles to the systematic collec-
ton of data at regular intervals. Despite
this trouble however the commission at
Washington Is in reasonably close touch
with the parties that are in the field, and
is quite well informed as to the progress
OF the work.
The survey that is being made in Mica
ragua Is an extension of that which was
done under the Nicaragua canal commits
sion, which advised the feasibility of the
Nicaragua route. This elaboration and
application Of the survey was desirable,
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