New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-12-29
SOUTHERN MEN ALARMED.
TRYING TO GET VOTES ENOUGH TO DEFEAT
THE FEDERAL ELECTIONS BILLS


ERN DEMOCRATS THE GRAvEsT SINCE
THE DAYS OF RECONSTRUCTION
inY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIDuSE.I
Washington Dec cs-Sncc the days Of incipcht
rebellion when poor old James buchanan wa toFn
up into condition OF responsibility by the puii'ne
and hauling Of stronger minds close to him. l"e'e
has not BEEN "a desperate feeling OF resis'"'oo
TO the agg essiveness OF Northern partsans IMAM ID
finding expression among southern represeuu'
tives in Washington. The results Of the civil war
are apparently as nothing at the distance OF twenty
five years 70 the maintenance Of 90 White Man Wv
eminent In TIE sOuth-a Government now sclou'iy
threatened for the first time by the new teaelai
Election bills introduced, to be INTRODUCED pS
Senator Chandler and Representative Lodge III az
cordauce with the policy suggested by the PreSuo"
in his annual message.
There is in Washington at the present moment ana
has been to greater or less extent since tue
PRONUNCIATION OF the Presidents views in reearu !"
elections in the south, vcritable reign OF tIIo'
among southern men. Since the days OF recon-
struction there has been no measure so offensive 10
the old Southern pride-whch has for twenty ye'rS
defeated legislation. constitutional statutory, follow
ing the Civil War. TO restore the south to norman
constitutional conduon-as the Chandler BILL and the
proposition which is to from the brilliant Ma''"
chusetts Representative. Some time has passed Soe
an effort was made 10 define the political ana H7ai
rights OF the negro: and these apparently cohcI''No
efforts having smmcrcd into comparative inehe'"'o
ness and having remained in that state for ten OF
fifteen years the awakening brought on by the Ff'i
dents recommendation and the approaching legislation
are most unweIcomc and cruel TO the south
politician.
One result Of this awakening is an effort, whch
seems thus far 10 be sporadic and futile, to make
combination Of some Kind against the southern Eieo
tons bill This measure affects vitality great ma
L. faffv
that fair election would drive into private lie al
least fifty Representatives Of the south. II IS there
fore easy to account for the state of feeling Wmcn
is casting a shadow upon the holiday diversions OF
the Southern contingent.
No formal caucus has been held, but there nave
been L number of conferences among Southern men
who were supposed best 10 represent their portions
Of the threatened territory and who could be relied
upon 10 do no iniudicious talking until the pro
gramme whatever ii should be, was arranged ms
ONLY feasible plan devised at any Of these numerous
consultations has been 70 the Southern members
as soidly may be found pracucaot
for or against the location Of the
Worlds Fair at some given point, not yet de
termincd but placed in the hands Of committee OF
negotiation. Rumors have been going about quietly
for week of approaches, made more or less mP'-
teriousv 10 representatives OF the rival cities here 10
advocate their local interests but it is not apparent
nm TO the present time. that any one Of the rival
citi
consideration for their support the necessary SIX or
eight Gcpublcan votes required to defeat the Eec
tions bin It is certain that approaches have been
made 10 representatives OF Chicago and ST. Louis,
both OF which have committees here, provided, ap
parcntlv in the most afiuent manner for their peculiar
mission; while the trouble has been thus far found
TO be with New. York's Representatives that being
all Democrats, they arc not in position 70 uch'@
the necessary Republican votes
10 the
representatives of the South would inevitably be driven
from their by the passage of the proposed Eec
lions legislation, II IS matter OF much wider con
Germ among the remainder Of the party North and
south which fraternizes with this solid contingent
and consents TO be wagged by it, that the enfran-
chiscment of the 100000 Of negro voters, who
now have no voice in the elections in Alabama
Arkansas Georgia Louisiana, Mississippi south Caro-
lima and Virginia would make certain the success Of
the Republican party for indefinite period
II is easy to be seen therefore, why the situation Is
considered critical by Southern representatives,.
This vital issue has been, fortunately IN past years
Swallowed by superior issue in the North The tariff
ma, been paramount for years but now defeated
before the people the tariff issue, which they
themselves made forced, the representatives, OF
the south realize that the logic Of events VIII oDlee
them to face the evil and the issue which they nave
long feared. f. a., Iii
latvc point OF view To be hlbusterins move
ment in accordance with the suggestions OF inc
article Of Roger Q. Mills in " Inc Horti AncTl'dn
Review for December 1t must be observed, ~
connection with this that these suggestions are Dased
absolutely upon the question OF a parliamentary
1uorum all other matters asde-the question OF
whether not member IN us seat reluslhg 10
vnte Shall be considered absentee II has always
hccn decided that a member refusing 70 vote ana
vet within the speakers sight. ana wlthln the par
Of the House, is an absentee but inc authorizes
mon which this action has been taken are
held hv many excellent judges OF law ara OF orderly
procedure 70 be 50 antlquated as 70 DC Obsolete ana
unsuitcd TO the present age; ~, ,,, .
Of view whatever the heavy constitutional argument
NAV he that a member within the speakers gaze VINO
refuses 10 vote and thus breaks the quorum ana
causes a break in the proceedings, Is an aDatntcc.
TI.t j. a onestOn which speaker Reed i likely 70
he called upOn make ruling upon anew, ana II j.
confidently expected, thus carly IN the contest
mar hi. decision in the face Of the semi revolutionary
nsition will be on the side Of the logic and against
10 traditional theory that member cannot DC con
sidcrcd as present unless he shall 50 elect Inc pro
,itinn IN the Worlds Fair Committees has been thus
- con, nrelen,ivc enough To include the fate OF the
seventeen Republican contestants Tor seats III inc
I.t Congress but this Is mere detail compared Win
the main result sought 10 be accomplished. -,.,
The New south has never been confronted win
r,.,,ipr nor "a more hostile proposition than that con
famed in senator Chandler bill, ard IN the proposition
nj Representative Lodge 10 place the election OF Con
,,ros.r,en and Presidential Electors IN the hands OF
FEDERAL officers for thereby Will be broken down at
uce bc TWO great bulwaTs OF Democratic asccndancy
i'm their scctlon-sparsely distributed election pre-
ciucts which accommodate probably onc.hith, or
less, of the voting population ana ihey most. VIII
and the precious privilege of counting the vote when
l. Tbe situation with southern Democrats is TO-DAY
tho racst il has been the turbulent DAYS of Re
cooltrctiOn some of them not ready To
iro,ed pe H. but this Is because they have not the
acutencss to comprehend fully the threatening aspects
Of the situation.
rAr-csf MN DN--