, 1890-12-25
SATURDAY..
Continuation OF tho Debate ON tho
Election Bin

Election Bill
WAsHIYoToy, Dec. 20. Senator Petit
grew introduced bill to prohibit the
sale of firearms and ammunition to the
4 Indians on reservations. 1t was re-
ferred.
A dozen private pension bills were
passed.
Senator Moody, of the committee on
Indian depreciation claims, reported tho
house bill for the adjudication Of claims
arising from Indian depred ations.
Senator Sawyer asked unanimous con-
sent for fixing an early day in January
| for the consideration OF the postal tele-
graph.
Senator Wolcott objected.
Senator Ingalls,, at mis- own request
was granted q two weeks leave of ab-
sence
Senator Platt introduced joint res
olution appropriating 800, 900 to enable
the president to take action to obtain
from the German government supply
OF the remedy discovered by DR.. Koch
and formula for the manufacture Of
the same. 1t was laid over
The morning hours having expired,
the presiding off cor laid before the SEN
ute the election bill.
| Senator Pad dock gave notice that
after the consideration of the pending bill
| he would ask the senate to take up the
pure TODD BILL which was demanded by
the farmers from one end of the country
| to the other.
Senator Edmun demanded regular
order, and the floor was taken by Sena-
tor Spooner
Senator Morgan introduced resolu-
tion relating to the election bill. The
committee on privileges and elections
was directed by the resolutions to amend
section 81 so as to show what changes
and notifications in the sections of the
existing law are intended to be made
by the present bill.
The committee was instruct ed TO make
supplementary report, showing the
changes and mod itications in the exist
ing statutes which they recommend,
and provided for IN the amendment re.
ported to the senate.
Senator Spooner defended John I.
Davenport from the attacks made upon
him, and contended that the federal eiec-
tion law. instead of being offensive to
the democrats of the North, had been
put in operation at their request in
many instances.
Mr.. Spooner smoke in advocacy of the
elections bill. A stranger. I'm the gallery.
he said listening TO the debate without
a knowledge of the country. would be
impressed with the idea that all the love
of liberty and devotion TO the coustitu-
ton. and freedom from partisapship,
were to be found on the democratic side
of the chamber. He hoped the gentle
men on the other side would not assume
th,t the repubIinan senators were not
- - :, 49,, I,
.lu"'y "'n se', 'V vi 80
n"o usei' s"'u y" .no o'"e, s'ue '""'
the bill was aimed at the south
1t was in part. IL was aimed at every
spot in the United States where by
fraud mr. force mon who had tho right
-L -, a,,,. -.
Wv ~. ~.
cheateu out oi thae i'sh'- Ane oou'h'
he thought, was where the bill was
specially needed.
I'm proof he read extracts from a
sneech nv Deleoate Chrstman In the
.,,,.,,,I.I ,,,a,,,,a,, ar>,,a
'"tc eo"s''"'ioho' So" Vi .i''-
sissippi, declaring that since 1910 there
has not been fair election in that state.
That, in plain words. they (the whites)
had been stutfing the ballot boxes com.
,.,i,,in., ,ar;,,r,, and corrvin, Tho aloo-
'''.'ps 70 P' PS',i "a ,,ioio,oo H. aiS.
"ohs oy 'i"ut u'i" a'S'
read the qualihcations Tor voters IN the
constitution OF Mississippi; among
others being the ability of the voter
f,fter January 1899, To read or To. give
aa.o,',II, q, ntan.,io, of tho n,oon;nu
ieaso""o'e % .i y. vi .. ~
OF any clause VI 'hc co"s'Atu''oh Vi tie
state.
lfthe constitution of Mississippi had
stoppeu Mt the educational ties, and ex-
cluded from the right of suffrage every
white or black who could not read that
linstrument. nobody would com plain of
IL.
But now the ignorant white voter
might have the simplest clause read to
him and be asked If he understood IL.
and. answering YES. might be permitted
To vote. While an abstruse clause, as
to the right of domain or some other
technicn1 question. might be read TO n
roIored yoter. who would be asked to
yIv,, a reasonnbIo explanation of it.
The scheme was plainly devised to let
tb1, iCnornnt white man vote If he voted
the democratic ticket. and 10 keen the
ionorant black man from voting unie a.
he voted that ticket, and vet the demo-
cratic senators rallied aguinst the i'm
n.ndinp mcnsure as giving the super-
visors IordIy povers. This constitution
of Mississippi had been adopted. not by
the vote OF the peopIe. but by the con.
yen,ion itself
Southern men ought not to fold their
arms and saw they would keen their in
creased representation re while suppressing
the negro vote.