The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1889-02-14
POLITICIANS DAY.
The Question Of Elections in the
South the Absorbing Topic In
Congress Yesterday.
hemphill Scores tho Republicans For
Their Treatment OF the Negro
IN the North.
The "BIocks of Five" People Also Noticed
Elliott. the south Carolinian, Re
tains His Seat.

Hale presented conference report on the
diplomatic and consular appropriation
bill. Agreed TO, after a statement by Hale
tin reply to question OF ShermAnl that
the appropriation OF half million for
the protection Of American interests in
Samoa was retained. and that the appro-
prlation Of 500 900 for a coallng station at
Pago-Pago had been transferred TO the
naval appropriation bill, which passed the
senate yesterday. The senate bill for the
ascertainment OF the amount OF money ex-
pended, and the obligations assumed by
| California growing out OF Indian hostili-
ties was, on motion OF stuart, taken from
| the calendar and passed. The senate then
proceeded 10 the house 10 assist In count
| ing the electoral vote.
The senate returned 20 Its own chamber
| at 2:25, when Henderson, on behalf OF the
senate tellers, reported the result OF the
| counting and ascertainment OF the elector-
al votes for president and vice president Of
the United States. The report was ordered
entered at length on the journal. The res
olution reported from the committee on
privileges and elections, instructing that
committee 10 revise the existing law regu-
latlng the election of members OF congress
was taken up, and Evarts spoke IN IFS sup
port. After carefully going over the case
and reading petitions, etc, EyArts said the
great question came at last to be whether
there was 10 be tolerated In this country nm
authority and persistent power that was TO
set aside the government OF the constitu-
ton and of the laws. IL there should prove
TO be an irreconcilable conflict between
public opinion In Texas or in New York
| and the public opinion Of the country at
large, his opinion was that the opinion OF
the whole country must finally prevail
| Coke obtained the floor and the senate ad-
j0urned.
THE HOUSE.
At the conclusion OF the joint reunion
to-day the house resumed consideration Of
| the SmOlls- Elliott contest.
Hemphill spoke at great length In a sar-
castle VEN. All this talk about the unfair
election laws OF South Carolina was non
sense. The people OF South Carolina be-
lieved the negro should have his rights,
but they did not believe he should have all
his rights and the white mans too. IL the
colored men were so dear 10 the people OF
the north, as indicated by the speeches OF
some gentlemen on this floor, why did not
some OF the northern states elect n col0red
man 10 congress and make living exam
pie OF his fitness TO make laws for the pe0
| pie OF the United States. There were q
number Of states In the north which would
not have the shadow OF q chance of being
carried by the republicans except for the
| coored race, and yet not single instance
had there been Of man elected 10 congress
who had a tinge Of color in his blood.
| HOPKINS, Illinois, asked Hemphill II he
knew Of a northern state where the colored
man asylres IA that dlfeotoI,, aDl IL lac did
not know that the colored men were taken
| care OF In the north by white men?
"l know that" said lIemphill, sarcas-
| tlcally; "I know that have never
known a colored man In northern state
who had the presumption 10 suppose they
would elect him to Office, even II he did as
| pire to It,"
This aroused the repu blIcans, and Messrs
Cheadle, Funston, Owen, Rowell and
others were an their feet Immediately,
plying Hemphill with questions which
| neither he nor anyone else was able 10 hear
on account OF the great confusion In the
house and persistent demand for the regu-
lar order. Finally Rowelrs voice was
heard above the rest declaring that In
| Illinois a colored man had been elected 10
the legislature. Hemphill responded this
was so common In South Carolina he would
not think OF mentioning It. llemphill con-
tlnued 10 cite incidents 10 show the bad
| treatment Of the nrgro In the north, telling
OF colored men employed In to-
bacco warehouse In Marion, Indiana,
being ordered 10 leave town
on pain Of summary punishment;
colored children turned out OF white
schools at Fort Scott, KS; white people at
| oxford, Ohio, protesting against the adalls-
sion OF col0red children 10 white schools.
| In response 10 this last assertion Williams,
Ohio, declared Oxford was town with
2,400 democratic majority. daughter. J
Hemphill continued, saying he did not
know any people any more interested In q
free ballot and fair count and some just
solution OF the negro problem than the peo-
Pile Of the south. Lafollette, Wisconsin,
said Hemphill demonstrated one thing
clearly-that In the centres Of democracy
and Ignorance In the north, the behavior
/ toward the negro was lust the same as In
the south. lie warned the gentleman on
the other side that the majority would ultl-
mately control in every corner OF the union.
| What would the gentleman think II the
colored man turned and said, "The vii.
lainy taught US we will execute, and II will
20 hard II we do not better the instruc-
tons" From the bloodhound and the r..w-
hide the South Carolina election law was
but a little step. Dodge, Massachusetts,
said llemphilps argument was the old
argument that ''y0u're another" He went
on 10 review the methods which he said
were practiced In the south TO stihe the
voice Of the majority.
II
con and others, Rowell closed the debate
for the republicans, saying that moth with
standing all the assaults made upon II,
Robert Smalls majority of 100 votes still
| lived.
Crisp In concluding the argument for the
| majority, said there was nothing about the
southern elections that was not as fair aud
As well calculated 10 secure untrammelled
expression OF views as In any other section.
Johnston. Indiana, tried 10 interrupt, but
Crisp told him In state where they re-
seated ~ "BlOcks Of Five" perhaps they
had better look at home before they went
abroad. This remark brought the
Indiana republicans 10 their feet
In indignant protest, but Crisp de
clined 20 permit Interruptions and
in the midst OF the uprosr his time ex
pired. Then scene OF tumult and con
fusion eDsned. The main aisle wal
thr0nged with members from both sides
who kept up an incessent demand for the
regular order, while Crisp attempted Il
have his time extended, and the fndlanl
republicans continued their demand for al
opportunity 70 reply. The speaker pr,
the tumult, and was finally compelled q
call the sergeant alarms. Then CrisJ
asked leave 10 extend his remarks In th'
Record, but Johnston, Indiana, objected
unless he could be given the same priyi
lege. Leave was finally granted Crisp u
print however, and vote was taken on
the minority resolution declaring SMALL
entitled ~ the seat II was rejected by 1
party vote 0f l26 10 %, with the exception
Of Wilson, Minnesota. and Russell. Massa
chusetts. who voted with the republicans
was agreed 10 without division, and tn
| hOuse AL lOurned