The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-08-03
DOWN WITH LODGES BILL
PROTEST AGAINST
THE MEASURE.

The President of the Northern Society
of Georgia Denounces 1t as Calcu-
lated to Revive Sectional Prejudice.
The Thurman Club of Columbus, O..
Holds Rally Against It.
ATLANTA, GA, Aug. 2-The Northern
society of the state, through its chairman,
C. C.. Post of Douglassville. denounces the
force bill as being calculated to arouse Sec
tional prejudice and stir up party strife.
"Monopolies and trusts" says Mr.. Post,
CONSUME the land. The force bill was con-
ceived by a class seeking to re-arouse sec
tional hatred, and thereby to turn the atten-
ton of the people from live issues. The origi-
nators of the force bill seek less to secure
new congressman by negro votes in the
north through revival of the fosling of q
day that is past.
DIscoNTENT OF THE WEST.
''The west is struggling beneath load OF
debt which its people cannot much longer
carry, and the rank and file OF the repuUl-
can party, made up largely of old soldiers
and their sons, begins to waver and show
signs of insubordination. IL they can be
made to believe the south refuses obedience
to rightful national authority or denies to
any class of its citizens the fruits supposed
the war, the hold of the republican leaders
will be made more secure, aud with the peo.
pie divided upon old issues and old sectional
lines the few who have nurtured the power
of combination will be safe in working their
will upon the people OF the country.
THURMAN CLUBS PROTEST.
COLUMBUS, O., Aug. "A meeting OF
the Thurman Club, ito protest against thu
federal election bill, was held at the old
front of the capital this evening. There
were about 1,500 people present. It was
expected that Judge Thurman would pre-
side aud make speech, but when the com.
mittee called to escort him to the meeting
he presented them with letter to be read
which contained his regrets, and informa
tion that sickness also prevented him
from fulfilling his promise. He spoks
briefly denunciatory of the bill and hoped
to be able to say something more at another
time, though he expressed the opinion that
the measure would not pass the Senate, oI
at least he was hopeful A letter of regret
was read from ex-President Cleveland, in
which he expressed desire to be enrolled
among those who protest against the passage
of the bill, and expressed IA wish that the
indications were not so numerous that con.
gressional recklessness had been reached.
BRTCE AGAINST IT.
Senator-elect Brice sent a letter in whioh
he expressed sympathy with the object OF
the meeting, and regarded the proposed law
as repugnant to democratic ideas. The first
speech of the evening was made by ex-
Congressman Converse, in which he con-
| sidered the oonstitutionality Of the measure
| and denounced it as a scheme for the per
| petuation Of the party in power.
| A long address was delivered by A. E
| Lee, consul at Frankfort under Presi
dent Hayes, in which he endeayored to give
| the causes which led up to the proposal OF
| the federal election bill His remarks were
principally directed to the tariff, and wera
in opposition to the Mckinley bill.
Gov. Campbell was not reached in the
list Of speakers until late hour. and did
not talk at length. He devoted his time tc
an explanation of the provisions of the bill
and the possible results of its enforcement.
Regarding the recent publication that Gov
Campbell would employ state militia in
opposition to the enforcement of the Lodgs
bill in this state, he said that the whole
statement was false, and that was
all he had TO say about it.
NJ. d. Harter of Mansfield, nominee foi
congress, addressed the meeting briefly, and
resolutions of protestation we're presented
by Allen w. Thurman and adopted.
TEXT OF THE RESOLUTIONS.
The following are the resolution
adopted:
WHEREAS, We. citizens Of the state OF Ohio
regard local self-government and control OF om
own elections as one of the cardinal and dis
tinctive features OF a free people, and believing
it was never intended by the trainers off the
constitution of the United States that congress
should in any way interfere with or attempt t
regulate congressional elections, when sucE
regulation had already been made by the states
and,
WHEREAS, We believe any such interference
by congress with the customs of our people
that have remained unchanged for century,
will be fraught with the greatest danger,
calculated to lead to most alarming ane
dangerous consequences, inevitably to diminlst
the belief of the people in their power to govern
themselves, and thereby endanger the stability
and permanency of our institutions; and
WHEREAS. We believe the Lodge bill lately
passed by the national House Of Representa-
tives and now pending in the United State.
Senate has Incorporated in its provisions all Of
these dangers; and
WHEREAS, We believe that instead of insurins
fair elections and an honest count it is meas
ure under which most outrageous wrongs are
certain to be perpetrated; and
WHEREAS, II enacted into law and enforce:
its provisions cannot help but interfere with
and put under the control OF partisan United
States appointees all of our local elections
promote sectionalism and not correct, but only
intensity election frauds and thereby be sub
versive OF free institutions; and
WHEREAS, We believe that the appointment OF
United States officials to control these elections
whose tenure OF Office Is for life and who are
not In any way responsible to the people, is such
a radical departure from the traditions ano
customs of our country that such officers should
simply be considered as servants OF the people
that this provision OF the bill cannot be too
severely condemned. We believe and denouncs
as villainous that proposition of the bill which
dIspenses with our choosing impartial judges
and substitutes for 1t system by which partisan
judges may be chosen; and
WHEREAS, We believe that the legislative, ex.
ecutive and Jsdicial branches of our government
| should always be kept separate and distinct,
we look with horror upon measure which
makes both the legislative and executive
branches dependant upon the judi
ciary, and the Judiciary made
an Instrument OF partisanship, oppression
and corruption; and, further, we believe that nc
interference whatsoever with our state elections
by the general government should be counte-
nanced by any true !riend Of our political instl
tutions. Because of the dangers alluded to- and
because most firmly believe that the intelh-
gence patriotism and discriminating justice OF
American people in the states Themselves, both
north and south will In the future as they have
In the past, be powerful instrument that can
be employed for remedyng evils that may ex
ist in our election law; therefore b IL
ResOlUed, That we denounce tue passage o.
the bill by the House OF Representatives ana
most earnestly protest against its enactment oy