The Cordova daily times., 1919-09-09
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER g, 1919
WEckERsHAM-GRIGsRY CONTEST

George Grigsby, who by virtue of carrying the credentials issued by the territorial canvassing board as the successful candidate at the spe- cial election held last June, is occu- pying the seat of delegate in congress from Alaska, is supposed to be hur- rying as fast as steam and electricity can carry him from the national cap- ital to Alaska, to take evidence in the contested election case in which James Wickersham is contestant. He is allowed forty days from Septem- Der 6 in which to do this, MT. Wick ersham's forty days having expired on that date. MT. Grigsby was hand icapped somewhat in his start by the fact that he wished to stay in Wash , ingtOn until the vote had been taken on the pending railroad bill. With the unanimou passage of that meas Ure he was free to leave
 The delegate will have to defend in reality two contests. One contests the act of the canvassing board in awarding the election of 1918 to the late Charles A. Sulzer, and the sec- ond is against Grigsby as holder un- claiming, of course, that as he was elected in 1918, there was no vacancy in 1919.
 The contest proceedings are likely to be most interesting. If the ter ritory had been raked with a fine tooth comb no more astute politicians nor shreWder legal practitioners could have been found. For once in his career MT. Wickersham seems to have met his match, and he will be compelled to exert himself to hold the upper hand, either in debate or in tactics. A fair idea may be gained of the qualities of the two men by a perusal of the proceedings before the elections committee on House Resolution No. 105, which laid down the rules under WhOch this par ticular contest was to be conducted.
 MT. Grigsby was on the stand and was making a statement to the com mittee, in the course of which he gave some Alaska political history. He told how the Republican organiza- tion nominated John Corson for dele gate in 1908, and Wic3,ersham made the race independently and was elect ed in 1910 the Republicans nominat- ed Alfred s. Orr and Wickersham ran independently and beat him; in 1912 the Republicans nominated w. A. Gil more and Wickersham, as an inde' pendent candidate, beat him and JUrge Jennings, the Democratic can didate; in 1914 the Democrats put up Judge Bunnell and the Republicans had no candidate, but ''Wickersham nominate himself and received the nomination of a bolters' Democratic convention, or an independent Demo- cratic organization and ran indepen- dent, and was elected" At one of the congresses from 1912 to 1916, Grigsby said, Wickersham was regis tered as a Democrat. The commit tee proceedings show the following colloquy:
 ''Mr. Hudspeth-Where did MT. Wickersham register?
 "Mr. Grigsby-In the house. If I am wrong, it is because the Worlds Almanac made a mistake.
 MT Wickersham-The Worlds Almanac did make a mistake.
 "Mr. Grigsby-I myself, however, during that period of time have heard Judge Wickersham proclaim on the stump that he was Woodrow Wilson. Democrat.
 "Mr. Wickersham-You never did hear that
 "Mr. Grigsby-Oh, yes, did.
 'tMr. Wickersham-No man can tell the truth and say that.
 ''Mr. Grigsby-I heard it.
 'tMr. Wickersham-You never did"
 Referring to Wickersham's refer ences to the Democratic machine" Grigsby said:
 MMn have maintainad an nrganiza-