The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1890-02-20
FEDERAL ELECTION LAW.
ADVOCATED IN WASHINGTON BY
TWO " "VlRClNlANS."

WASHINGTON, Feb. i0.- Special. The
delegation Of negro Republicans from ir-
ginia that recently appeared before the
House Committee on Elections Of President
and Nice-ppsident 90 ur-c ihe passage oi
a Federal election law. was supplemented
to-day by a pair of white Republicans.
Messrs. Edgar Allan. of Richmond, and b
r. McCue. Of Henrico county, cndoayored
10 pursuade the committee that the exercise
Of arbitrary Federal power in Virginia
would enable the Republicans 90 carry that
State. Allan was not nc am sire chat Com
gross could pass a Federal election law.
I He has been about Washington enough
d % ascertain that there is strong
sentiment. even among Republican Con-
I grcssmcn. against such an enactment.
/ In the event that % law as rigid as he
would like 90 have could not Doe passed. Doe
submitted suggestions as tO empowering the
/ Federal judiciary with authority io inter-
pose and promptly Oier-rulo ihe action Oi
I the state officers ofclectiOn. lie would au-
/ th0rze Federal judges tO bear and deter
mine on the day of election questions raised
as 10 the legal rights OF voters t0 cast Dli-
| lots.
McCue confined his statement chiefly 10
alleged inlracti0n- of law In llenrc0 c0un-
I Is: 20 Instances of the exclusion of negro
votes and the methods, a- Doe explained. 0f
preventing negroes from castn. their bal-
lots by challenging them. ODstrucf.n- them
by vexatiOus questions. etc.
TYPICAL SOUTHERN HErt BLICANs.
Up 10 the present the character of the
men from the South who have appeared Dee
fore the committee % insist upon Federal
election law have not been OF the exalted
nature that would create favorable im-
preston. Chalmers, Of Mississippi. Who
b0lted the Democratic party because ii,
members of Congress would NOT vote t0
give him seat COB which Lynch
had been elected. is one of the cham
uiOns of "a Federal election law. And at
IL 90 illustrate the adage Chat politics
make strange bcd-lellOWs" Chalmers and
Lynch presented themselves before tho
committee ON the same day and arm In
arm. Lynch. negro. is now Fourth Audi
tor OF the Treasury. by system oi
bulldoling SO brutal that DO provoked
the condemnation Ol white Democrats
I'm Mississippi. Chalmers succeeded
a few wears ago boz making lt ap-
pear that he bad beaten Lynch for 1on-
gross. The latter contested. and made
"a case so plain that Democrats voted tO scat
him. This cnra-ed Chalmers. who went
over 10 the Republican party, aud now
Chalmers and Lynch are close political and
personal friends.
THE CENSUS QUESTION.
I'm the contested election case, from tle
south. the Republicans have raised what l-
commonly called the "cen,u- question:
That is. they take the last census and it-
enumeration 0fWAile and c0l0red voters in
district. 10 is assumed by the Republicans,
aud for the purpose of increasing their ma
i0rity in the House that every negro NJ legal
age is "A Republican, and That ue would have
v ted the Republican ticket bad he
not been prevented Dy intimidation cor
fraud. This question was raised. and
argued by >hcllaDarrer a. Wilson. lawyers
of Washington. who have been regularly re-
tanned by the Republican party Tor wears.
That firm receives an annual zee from fne
Republican party tO watch and guard ii-
interests in Washington This census
question will come before the Elections
Committee next week for formal decision ODD
the case of Mr.. DuiIle against lurpin. from
the Fourth Alabama district should
tins committee sustain tle position
taken by ~hellaharger a. Wilson. that
every neero of legal age ought tD De counted
as having voted for the Republican ciull-
date. whether he actually voted or not. that
decision win make clean sweep of aII ile
Southern democrats whose seats aIt cone
tested. General Hooker of Mississippi,
defeated his opponent. hefud-nau, aI
scallaWag. by over 5000 majority.
I'm the testimony taken many Dee
eroes sw0rc That they voted for
Harrison and Morton, buf cast their ballots
for Hooker for Congress. because they knew
him and bad never heard Oi hewa-lan.
fN.H..
Republicans of tle Elections committee
who ayOw their purpose to vote in favor oi
determining contested cases 900 the basis ol
the last census.
THE CASE OF HOS. GEORGE ID. WISE.
The Republican majority OF the Commit
tee ON Elections make u0 secret 90 their pul-
pose 90 report in favor of unsealins Hon.
George ID. Wise. They aro bold and rch-
less Inn their purpose. They dl not under
take 90 enter into details Or i0 Justify Che
outrage upon legal grounds. Dut sag. in
brief that party pressure l1- been cmlDfed
in behalf of Waddill. The Republicans nave
been enormously impressed Win the lItd
that they can encourage the tepuoliran
voters Of Virginia t1 more fi-0lou, efforts
by seating Waddil. they Jose sight enc
tirely Of the fact chat tAe outrage VIII eA-
cite "a feeling of Indignation and resentment
among Democrats that viii make itself iet
at the polls
ONO REDlsIMCllON.
Democratic members OF the House were
very much interested m map OF ONO
showing ia plain cOl0rs of red and blue ile
new Democratic Congressional districts oi
that state. 10 arranged Ny the Democratic
majority Of that legislature. THE new Nis-
iricts are very iugenl0u-ly arranged. lhe
Democratic votes are grouped io-
gether s0 rs t0 make fifteen districts
giving fairly safe nal0rile, to ine Demo
cracy. of the fifteen districts only lNu are
really awkward in conformation. AS
matter OF fact the Democratic gerry m1necf
is much fairer than that of the Republicans
now in existence.
Colonel IKE Hin. the Democratic Deputy
Sergeant-at-Arms of the House. and one of
the best leaders of Ohio Democracy. said t0
THE TIMES correspondent to-day. aneut ihe
subject Of redstrctin- Ohio. "Ne coulu
have made sixteen districts. but We didn
want 10 be hoggish. We wanted 90 De fair
MR.. EpMCNps' POPULARITY.
Representative Edmunds is the one y lr-
einia member 20 whom the farmers of the
STATE principally apply when they want
anything from Washington. Ills daily bud
yet of letters is very large and most oi them
come from farmers. As De- Is % farmer
himself some of Dol, correspondent,
seem 10 think that De must have some cone
nection with the Agricultural Department.
N is not uncommon for him t0 receive letters
addressed 20 the care of ile Agricultural
Department. and some oi them are ad-
dressed % him as chief of that department.
49, United Press.
IuE -EA ATE,
Adverse reports were made from the
Committee on Naval Affairs on bills l0 reg
ulate the pay OF employees 100 tle Washing
ton navy yard. and 90 compensate navy
ward employee lost in consequence ol in-
iurles received in the yards aud uoil were
| Indefinitely postponed.
The resolution OF Mr.. Chandler calling 0n
| the Attorney General for information as t1
the assassination of Deputy tnlicd STATES
I Marshal saunders. OF FLORIDA. was TAKEN
mo. and senator pasc0 addressed ile SENATE
/ In explanation OF the circumstances pi the
case.
The resolution went over without action.