The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1890-07-11
Southern Republicans and the Bayonet
Bill.

BILL.
Tho VALLEY Virginidn a Journal Of high
courage and ability, which opposed MALONE
with the Administration at his back, man.
fully opposes the Federal Election bill. 1t
considers that from tho point of view OF ex-
pcdiency tho Republicans arc making a
mistake. 1--WE are very sure" it says, that
1t would be followed by strife and contention
and bloodshed. Woknow generally who gets
hurt in such issues. Taking the past as a
guide, the record would be a sensation about
negro aggression and a negro rising a
conflict In which one or two white Demo-
Gratis would have their shins skinned and n
dozen or two negroes would be killed, and
in the long run as many Democrats elected
as has been the case in the past Indeed,
the passage Of the LODGE bill would reduce
the number Of Republican Representatives,
throw some Southern States into turmoil and
disorder, material progress would be ar
rested, and harm generally be the effect"
Mr.. EwART Of North Carolina and Mr..
COLEMAN Of Louisiana, the two Southern
Republican Representatives who voted
against the bill, predicted that the Repub-
lican party in the South would be injured by
it., 1t was noticeable that the Border State
Republican Representatives who spoke in
favor Of the bill, took occasion to deny that
there was need Of its provisions in their
own districts. The frauds to be checked
were somewhere else. These Representa-
tives had not the courage to vote against
the BILL but at least they would not malign
the people of their own districts. Unless
common report lies greatly, the Southern
- IA ,la,, H..
voted for the bill, did so under bulldozingand
against their better judgment. They feared
it would hurt their party, but they feared
Tom REED more.
There are supposed to be some Republicans
in the Senate who do not stand in terCor of
Mr. REED, who are willing and able to
take the time necessary for considering what
would be the effect of the revol utionary
changes proposed by the LoDGE-DAvENPoRT
bill. To such Senators the opinion of the
foremost Republican newspaper in Vir-
ginia, a newspaper which Mr.. BLAINE's
friends will respect none the less for its op-
position to MALONE, may be instructive:
"Gf there had been deliberate and avowed purpose
TO crush the life out OF tho Republicans OF the South
and to arrest the healthy growth of the party and
pave the way for an emphatic public rebuke do not
know what more effective means could have been do
vsed than have ueen put force and proposed
TO accomplish that object.
There will be day of retrbution for these wrongs
psperated upon tho Republicans OF the South and 1t
will be swift and fearful"
OF course Mr.. REED and his friends do not
care how much bloodshed there is In the
South. They will be perfectly satisfied as
long as they are allowed to count the South
ern votes for Congress and Presidential
electors. The killing of few or more Re-
publican negroes In the South may be
counted upon, the radicals will argue to ex-
cite the Northern Republicans and increase
the Republican majorities in the North. But
conservative Senators may think that this
is taking too many chances. Suppose that
the North should refuse to support tho
bayonet policy. Then the Republican party
becomes minority in the North and has
ceased to exist in the South. All or nothing
is Mr.. REEDS policy 1t is more than pos
sible that lie will not get all.