The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-07-01
AFRAID ON DIXIE'S POLLS.
HERBERT OPENS THE DAYS AT
TACK ON THE ELECTION BILL


A,a,,st Race-Coleman of Louisiana
onnoaes the Measure for the Same
Reason-Houk of Tennessee In fsVor
of strengthening the Nations Hand
WASHINGTON. june 30.-The debate on
the 'force" bill grew very warm To-Day
So far there have been only set speeches..
To-day the hand-to-hand fight under the
five-minute rule began. Among the mag
ni6cent assaults upon this Infamous measure
which calls in to being a horde OF partisan
,airelings to do the will of their masters, and
(which creates gigantic corruption fund
! and powerful machine to perpetuate the
power OF the Republican party were tnose
OF Judge Turner and Col. Lester OF Georgia,
end then arguments were clear, forcetui,
\ stable in logic and faultless in delivery.
GREETED WITH APPLAUSE.
Throughout the delivery OF the
ringing pleas Of these distin-
guished Georgians Hgainst the propo-
dark days of the reconstruction period, wild
and tumultuous applause interrupted them.
Mr.. Coleman, a republican from Louisiana,
kicks over the traces and refuses to give his
voice or his vote to bill which traduces
his country and disgraces his people, and
which would create disorder, riot and blood
shed throughout the south. Many
of the northern republicans are
wavering in their support OF
this measure. but it is
doubtful whether they will leave the party
lash and vote as their conscience dictates.
The attempt at the close of the afternoon
to make the law applicable throughout the
country was deferred until morning by the
arbitrary and bulldoZing methods OF
Speaker Reed, who was afraid that it might
carry. The battle royal will occur to-mor-
row.
DETAILS OF THE DEBATE.
by the associated Press.)
WASHINGTON, June 30.-The debate on
the federal election bill was resumed in the
House this morning. Mr.. Herbert OF Ala
bama being accorded the floor. There was
one chapter in the history of the country,
be said, so full of bitter memories that every
citizen would gladly forget it if he could.
1t was the era of reconstruction. But IL was
necessary to look into that chapter, and
learn some Of the lessons it taught. The
passions of war had been still fresh, and the
people of the north had been driven to APP
prove reconstruction by just such speeches
as had been made here in ad-
vocacy of this bill. The result had
been that all reconstructive government
Except in Virginia. had passed under negro
domain. Taxes Lad been increased, and
every dollar of the increase had been spent
or stolen. The color line had been the in
evitable result of reconstruction. The
negro had been taught to distrust the south
ern white man. During reconstruction
the southern states had been represented in
congress by republicans. Now they were
represented by democrats, and hence
the necessity for a national election
law. In the south an era of
peace and prosperity had come
The negro was learning that it was not
for his interest to array himself solidly
against the white man, and the white man
was doing everything in his power to teach
the negro this lesson. II the south were left
to work out this problem for itself the time
would soon come when the negro, being
educated as the white man was, would be
able to take care Of himself, both as q tax
payer and a citizen. This bill would have
the effect of arraying race against race in
the south.
HoUK'S REASONING.
Mr.. Houk of Tennessee said that his adj
vocacy of the national election law did not
grow out of any supposed emergency or
necessity, notwithstanding that there were
variety of reasons now that the power of
the government should be asserted. 1t had
been his conviction since his earliest read
Ing OF the constitution that it was para
uox inconsistent with the harmony
OF the nation to leave to the
states control of the election of ma
tional officers. A national election
law could in no possible way advance his
political fortunes. In his district there was
absolutely fair election. The democrats
OF his county did not want dishonest cleo
ton. False counting or stuffing of ballot
boxes in the Second district of Tennessee
would confine the perpetrators within the
walls OF the penltentiary. Strangers listen
ing to this debate might think that the OBJ
1ect OF the measure was to arrest the whole
democratic party. What harm would a
federal election law do9 What harm would
result from an honest election? Had the
democrats from the south praeticed dis
honest elections so long that it would break
their hearts to have to stop thems He them
preceded to quote from report made nv
MIR. Springer Of Illinois, from the COMMITTEES
on elections in the Forty-fifth congress.
IN the contested election case Of
Dean against Field, in which he
asserted that Mr. Springer laid down the
exact principle involved in the pending bill.
, nanlelyi tnat the laws OF every state of the
union should conform to the law of the
lano. 1t was said that the bill would revive
race prejudice. He undertook to saw that
mere vas no race prejudice involvssin this
OH. 1t was not race prejudice " At the
democrats were combating; it was politi-
cal prejudice. The objection was not that
the coiored man was black. but that he
voted the republican ticket. He wanted
TINS government to be so strong that il
could reach out its hand and punish every
crime agalnst the rights of the nation,
COLEMAN AGAINST THE Bill.
Mr.. Coleman of Louisiana announced
himself as republican, both from con.
victlon and from principle. AS southern
man by birth, education and association he
had been elected to the House as a rennhtN
can, but he was opposed to the enactment
of a federal election law at this time ana
notwithstanding the fact that the prom otars
OF this measure aimed to secure the great
desire OF free ballot and fair count he d it
not think that this was the proper limo ~
make this political experiment., He wou1 Vi
xeartlly support national election
Pill If he thought that its
enactment would secure an honest hal,ot
but to suppose that the passage of such =
measure at this time would have this efFaot
was based on false impressions and on iono'
rance of the true state of affairs in somo
portions Of the south. Why should tho
memories of reconstruction be stirred m,
This was not following the advice
of that wonderful statesman, Lincoln. h
opposed any legislation calculated to create
trouble and friction between the RACES he
did not wish to stimulate any trouble. and
X was as certain that trouble and blood
Nd would f1lIOuy fbo 1000