Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1905-03-09
WILSON IS SEATED
Prohibitionist Wins Over 8owIss,
Democrat, in the House Con-
tested Election Case
DALEY FAvORs McCASKRIN
Chairman of Elections Committee Will
Hold Back Report and May Not
Submit 1t At All.

SpTlnSuS Ill, MdTcn ~ ne
| house yesterday afternoon unseated
Representative William \. Bowles,
democrat of the Forty-first district
and seated Alonzo Z. Wilson, prohibi-
| zionist, by a vote of Sc to 46. The vote
was almost a party vote. all the repub-
licans voting to seat Wilson. Burke
Mundy. Rapp and Webster. democrats,
and Sheen and Gaumer. prohibitionists
voted with the republicans
The fight of the afternoon came
over the reconsideration of Mr. Nc
GoOrtys motion to recommit the re-
port of the committee with instruc-
| ton TO recount the ballots under the
opinion offered by former Attorney
General Hamlin in the Cooke-McCas-
krin contest. Mr.. Tippit. the demo-
cratic leader. endeavored to prevent
| reconsideration, but was overruledr
and the speechmaking began.
Daley is Heard.
For an hour Mr. Indy defended
Attorney General Stead's opinion as
to how ballots should be counted Mr..
Gray, on the democratic side. attacked
the decision. Chairman Daley of the
elections cOmmitteen then protested,
in one of the best speeches delivered
this year on the floor of the house.
against another count, because the sec
recy of the ballots already had been
destroyed.
On the vote to reconsider the mo-
ton to recommit and have another re.
n hn nv tn
Ambroz and Islon, socialists. voted to
reconsider, but switched to the demo
cratic side. when the roll call TO uh-
seat Mr.. Bowles was being taken.
Wilson probably will take his seat
tomorrow. although he may not be
seated until Monday The committee
report on his case was that he had
been elected by a plurality of more
than 500, and that no matter what sys-
tenn of counting was adopted he would
have been found elected. The commit
tee also took some pains to explain
that no reflection was cast on the judg-
es of election in Joliet and other towns
of the Forty-first district, where faulty
counting was done. The committee
held-Ihat they had been careless" and
had made mistakes
Says McCaskrin VIII Keep Seat.
One more case remains for the house
TO decide-that of McCaskrin and
Cooke. Daley will make no report un-
til the closing days of the session, or,
if the report be made. the house will
allow McCaskrin TO keep his seat.
In addition TO the house proceeding
in the Wilson case there was another
election squabble in the Legislature, un-
kind remarks being made by senators
to each other while in committee con-
sidering the Sucher-Putnam contest.
Senator Dunlap made a certain rule
governing counting which brought
down on his head the wrath of Senators
Jandus and Cunningham. who declared
the rules had been fixed to favor Put
nam.
Civil Service Bill o. KID.
BY a vote of 13 to the house civil |
service committee decided to report
out the broad civil service bill. includ-
ing all state charitable and penal in
stitutions and business Offices. but ex-
empting specific officers in most of the |
departments. This Is the bill which
was reported out and hauled back
Tuesday. full meeting of the commit |
tee was secured. Three of the five
members voting against the bill were
in favor Of including the grain inspec-
ton Office, as they had received com |
plants from farmers and requests that |
civil service be established in that de- |
paTtment.
MrCaskrin Did Not Vote.
Reynolds voted TO seat Wilson, Ma
gill was not present. and McCaskrin /
did not vote, though present Chairman 1
Daley. Of the house elections commit /
tee, stated today that the COOke-Mc- |
Caskrin contest would not be reported |
TO the house this week. and he did not /
know how long il would be, in fact.
CMEnICu DEDIIDI IRANC MEET