The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-01-28
Case OF Don Edwards Still Be-
fore the House.
Former Kansan Battling for a
Seat I'm Congress.
MIR. CURTIS is T
His Bill to Reduce Philippine
Duty Attracts Attention.
Nay Be New Road Through Fit.
Riley Reservation.

washington, Jan. 28.-If the mem
bers Of the house committee on cleo
tions No. 2 yer agree upon the con-
tested case from the Eleventh Ken
lucky district, involving the question
as to whether Don Edwards, formerly
from Kansas. is entitled to the rest
of the present term and the pay there
for, a Kansas membe of ngress J..
NJ. Miller. will present the report and
handle the case upon the floor of the
house.
Mr.. Miller is ranking member of
the committee on elections No. 2.
There are three of these elections
committees in the house, but No. 2 is
perhaps the hardest worked of all Of
them. Mr.. Miller stands at h head
of the committee, but one, and may
possibly be chairman of it in the next
congress.
For weeks the committee has been
hard at work on the Kentucky case
There are three cOntestants-Don Ed
wards of London, Ky; DR.. W. G:
Hunter, who held the certificate, and
is now the of the seat; and
a man named White. The case IN
wolves the election held November 10,
1908. to fill the vacancy caused by the
| death of Representative Vincent Bore
ing. 1t was a mixup all n
question was as to the regular Repub-
lIcan nominee. The secretary of state
changed MS Hlld SGNC1dA A4AAACSs DAN
finally gave the certificate to Dr.
Hunter, who now holds down the
seat.
The Edwards contention is that he
was the regular nominee; and that ms
name should have appeared on all the
ballots as such, which in some coun-
ties it did not. There seems to be no
doubt that Mr.. Edwards side or the
story is the straightest. The contest
has been on for more than a year,
and it may not be Strengthened out
before the expiration of h term for
which the election was held.
The committee on elections No 2 is
| divided into three parts. One faction
is decidedly for Edwards. Another
stands for White. Still another wants
to declare no election, and throw the
matter back onto the electors of the
Eleventh Kentucky district. The pc
culiar thing is that no member OF the
committee seems to be for Hunter
Mr.. Miller of Kansas. who is one OF
the important members of the com
mfttee. seems to have the ~clearest
idea of what should be done, and the
chairman, Mr.. Olmsted OF Pennsyi-
yania. has requested the kansa 10
write the report and present it to the
house, if one can be agreed upon
The handling of an election case on
the floor of the House of representa-
tives has often proved a winning caro-
for a member. When Senator Ions
was in the house in he Fifty-fourth
congress-, 1895, he handled two CON
tested election cases from the commit
tee he vas a member of, ana present.
ed them SO successfully in the house,
tina it gave him a fine standing 80
it may be with Mr.. Miller
Nj. Edwards, the man who seems
to be entitled to the seat, is a former
Neosho county boy. He is a brother
in-laW of Seth G. Wells, the auditor OF
state. Mr.. Edwards went to KENTUCKY
some years since n has prospereo
in the mercantile business he has
been clerk of his county, and a lead
ing factor in politics
Whether Mr.. Edwards gets the sea-
in the present ongress of not. he vii
have it in the ensuing congress He
and DR.. Hunter went again before the
people this last fall, for election to the
Fifty-ninth congress-, and this time
there was no doubt about it. Mr.
Edwards won, and will sit in the mex
house of representatives, anyway.
Dr.. Hunter, the Republican oppo
nent of MI. Edwards, is a former
member of congress from Kentucky
and under the Mckinley adminstra'
ton was minister from this country tx
the republic Of Guatemala, Contra
America He was not especially sue
cessful as a diplomat. and is not yer!
popular in Kentucky politics
Mr.. Curtis is gaining considerable
fame and renown by his bill to reduce
the DUTY on sugar and tobacco comins
into this country from the Philippine
islands. The proposed reduction is from
rs per cent of the Dingley law, which
is the Philippine tariff at present OF
these products. to 70 per cent OF ina
Hearings have been held for the pas
week. and may continue Indefinitely
before the committee on way an
means. On the pending bill. Sugar ar