The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-02-21
TWO REPORTS.

AS the days go by one thing becomes
more and more evident. There will BIO
two reports from the committee, and It
Is not at all certain which will be the
majority report.
During the progress Of the investigation
now closed, there was frequent occasion
for decisions as to the advisability or In
advisability OF certain evidence. Upon
nearly every occasion the contention was
raised by the prosecution, who held that
they were being hampered and confined
and who stated thatSif they were given
free rein they would proceed to introduce
evidence of tho utmost Importance. The
committee as said. was frequently called
upon to decide and tho committee was
not always agreed. frequently It was
badly split up. and once or twice there
was tie vote. The alignment was sharp
and we'll defined. Upon one occasion the
committee adjourned for half hour re-
cess to consider some question. When It
returned over two hours had passed.
( Upon another occasion a ten-minute re-
cess was ordered. Tho ten minutes had
extended to an hour and fifteen minutes
before the gentlemen came back
These things. If there were no other In
dications, would point to the fact that
the committee is not unit on the mat
ter-that there is one side which holds
that the evidence adduced by the peti.
toners is not sufficient to warrant an
investigation by the House Of Delegates.
and that there is another element hotly
opposed to Campbell and all that he rep.
resents. The obvious outcome Of this
state Of affairs Is two reports, one In
favor of the defendant and one against
him. This seems to be pretty well ad.
mitted The great question Just now
Is Which will be the majority report.
ARE NOT TALKING.
Members of the committee are. OF
course. not disposed to discuss the matter
In any of It's phases There are many
who would probably be willing to under
they would have nothing upon which to
build except what they say in the invests
eating hall. The members themselves are
telling them nothing.
One thing-the removal OF an influential
Vote-may have a powerful effect upon
the decision OF the committee, Chairman
southall goes to Congress- next month,
and on March Sd he will resign from the
House, and Of course from the commit
tee II the report has been formulated
by that time he will have a voice in It
and Will cast his vote. II not, he will, Of
course, be out of the matter entirely.
Moreover, his successor, not having heard
the evidence officially, as a member Of the
committee, could not vote upon the mat
teI. rs C!IdlI1tldT nus. taken an active
Interest in the Investigation, and his de-
cision would carry no inconsiderable
weight With his colleagues and with the
members Of the House. If he should have
to withdraw at the last moment without
voting. he might upset some calculations.
LIVELY TIMES IN HOUSE.
Another thing is very apparent at this
moment. Members Of the House Of Dele
gates have regularly attended the ses-
sions Of the investigation. They have seen
and heard for themselves. and 1t is just
as likely as not that they will act lndepen-
IDENTIFY and not be guided wholly by the
committee. It Is the opinion of some very
conservative members that the House will
do whatever a majority of the committee
recommend. But 1t is the opinion OF
many more, and this is the opinion that
gives weight as time flies by, that the
House will do some pretty lively talking
before 1t adopts the report, whatever 1t
be. There Is a strong Campbell element
and a strong antl-Campbell clement and
there will probably be hot time before
final disposition Is made of the matter.