Evening star., 1922-12-24
Ut Of several recent contested


election cases comes a re
newed effort for fedora
legislation which will thro,
such cases into the court for a ju
dtcial determination, with q view t
avoiding now necessary delay in de
cision with consequent heavy expens
to the government and generally witt
the odor Of scandal.
The present impetus comes out O
the House unseating Representativ,
Thomas w. Harrison the other da,
and seating in his stead John Paul a.
| representative from the seventh vir
, gfnta district. There have been sew
eral very famous contested election
cases in the House. but the most i'm.
portant and remarkable one of recen'
years was when, with the House ir
charge Of the democratic party and
| Champ Clark as Speaker, John Britt
the republican claimant in the tenth
North Carolina district, was seated
| instead Of Zebuion Weaver by one
vote, while flibuster was on. under
the generalship of the late Repre-
sentative James r. Mann. just a few
minutes before the Congress expired
drew $4,000 in salary and mileage
Tor the entire two years, although
he had actually served only about
three minutes.
There have been other cases in the
last two Congresses. two Wicker
sham cases. where he won out over
Grigsby:: the case of Farr being seat
ed in place Of McLain of PennsyI-
vania, and the spectacular fight in
which Representative Peter Tague
won out after Honey" Fitzgerald of
Boston had been seated.
Representative Moore's Bill.
Representative Il. Walton Moore.
democrat. of Virginia on September
20 last introduced a bill. which was
referred to the elections committee,
seeking to remedy the situation
through court action. Representative
Frederick W. Dallinger of Massachu-
setts. chairman of the elections com.
mittee and formerly lecturer in
government at Harvard University.
introduced another bill yesterday with
the same purpose in view. and says he
will work for its early passage
Representative Moore points out in
teTestingly how some of the ablest
men Of the country have expressed
their disgust with the manner in
which such cases are dealt with" He
calls attention that Speaker Reed. in
an article in the North American Re-
view, dwelt upon the fact that no
other business transacted by the
House is so controlled by mere par
tisan feeling. Speaker Reed quoted
afterward Gov, Rob-
inson Of Massachusetts as saying,
questions at that time. "I know of
none except election cases"
The ancients thought Of justice as
figure blindfolded and holding the
scales on even balance" says Repre- /
sentative Moore. But, in connection |
the very important matter Of deciding
VINO Is entitled to seat, justice Is |
ordinarily blind and deaf, and with
only enough perception to understand |
that one of the parties is a democrat |
and the other Is republican.
Twice Reported Favorably.
'In order to bring about a better
which all fair-minded peo- |
pie should DESIRE" continues Repre-
Moore. "I have introduced |
1 bill providing that contested cleo
ion cases shall primarily be con-
'idered by the courts for the purpose
II ascertaining the facts and report
ng them to the House for final ac-
ion. The bill is exactly in line with a L
I'LL that was twice favorably report
ID to the House from q committee of
which he was chairman in the Fifty.
bird and Fifty-fourth Congresses. by
ormer Gov. Mccall Of Massachusetts.
I enacted it would bring about the
anne practice that was instituted by
he house Of commons prior to 1870 to
elieve itself of the scandal attaching
o the partisan treatment of election
ontests, by referring them to the
ourtS for decision. a plan that has
'orked admirably and now has un-
approval. '
This bill is pending before the COM
littee of which Representative Dali
niger is chairman, and 1t may be that '
will receive some consideration in
le next Congress II not in this. With
,me notifications it would work out
change in procedure that would save ,
le House from performances which
does not relish and which the I
,untry views with contempt" f
Discussing the Moore bill, Repre- =
'ntative Dallinger agrees that it is
'e same as the bill introduced by his !
.edeeessor, Samuel W. Mccall, on b
vorable report, but which was never
lssed by the House
AS far as l am concerned" says n
Dallinger, 'I do not I
nsider that as far as fair hearings I,
ID disposition enter into the con- L
deratfon, that there is need for this Il
gtslation: know that my COM 4
lttee. and I believe that other COM h
lttees. tried all their cases on law +
ID merit. g
The reason that think legislation II