The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1889-02-19
COKE ON THE RACE ISSUE
ALL THE SOUTH NEEDS IS TO BE
LET ALONE.

Boodle the Evil in Elections at the
North, and Muscle the Trouble in
the South--The Latter Evil Easier
Guarded Against than the Former.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 1S.--The Senate to-
day resumed confederation of the Texas
outpages resolution, and Mr.. Coke began
his fourth days argument against it, AT
the close Of Mr.. Coke's speech the resolution
was laid aside. Mr.. Coke declared that he
had no excuse or palliation or Justification
for the raiding Of the ballot boxes in Wash
lngton county. But he did not condemn it
more strongly or regret it more sincerely
than did the people of that county. There
were similar transactions all over the
United States. He did not say that ballot
boxes were raided in every section; but he
did say that bribery, bold and unblu shing,
did prevail III every section OF the country
except down south, where they did not
have any money to buy votes with. And
yet he heard Of no congressional investiga-
u IL Into bribery III the last election.
INDICTMENTS IN INDIANA.
Seventy indictments (he was told) had
been found in Indiana for bribery, nine
tenths of those indicted being republicans; :;
but no senator had risen and asked for an
investigation there Who would charge
the people Of that or any of the other north
ern states with completely in those ctimesl :
And why should the people of Texas and
OF the whole south be held responsible for
single abuse in one single countys
BRAwN VS.. DOODLE.
There were no white Caps" in Texas.
There vas no case of bribery reported from
the south. In the south there was more
muscle than money, and there was no
bribery there; while in the north there was
more money than muscle, and there was no
violence there. 1t was force in the south; it
was fraud and bribery in the NORTH. But
bribery was exceptional in the north and
force was exceptional in the south. OF the
two crimes, bribery was t emost dangerous
and the most difficult to provide against.
The raidiug of ballot boxes, which de-
pended on brute force, could be provided
against; but corruption of the ballot box
with money could not be provided against.
BHENHAM'S TRIPLE HANGING.
As to the hanging Of three negroes at
Brenham, Mr. Coke declared it to have been
the work of an Irresponsible mob,
and that the attempt to fasten on
the people the responsibility for it, on
the testimony of three miscreants was an
injuS ice to the senator's who signed the
report. AS TO the murder of Joe Hoffman,
he stated it as his belief that the shot which
killed him was not fired at him, but at Holt,
who sat near him, who was an active and
aggressive democrat and who had been in
a number of personal difficulties in which
men had been killed.
THE RACE QUESTION.
AS to the race question. it could not be
regulated by statute. Those who estab-
li,hed the government, while they
acted on the theory that no race Of people
could come 70 this country and dominate
the Anglo-Saxon The right OF local self
government was inviolatle. The black man
had the ballot, and he would not deprive
them of it, because it was their shield of
defense But the people of the south should
be let alone; and when such men as Hack
worth aud Schutzo were spewed out they
should no. be put back upon the people.
HOW TO SETTLE 1T.
If he had to say how the race question
was to be settled, he would repea what the
senator from Ohio (Mr. Sherman was rep
resented in ne vspaper a few days ago to
have said, and that was TO let the people Of
each state attend to the matter themselves.
If that was not Mr.. Sbermans opinion, it
was his (4lr. Coke's. If the people of the
south were let alone, if no aid and comfort
were given t. The agitatOrs who disturbed
the public peacs in that section, the race
question would be settled quicker than was
supposed. The negroes would divide in
politics and would not be solid. The whites
would divide and not be solid, and peace
and prosperity would come in that way.