The Maryville times. (Maryville, Tenn.) 1884-1944, 1890-03-05
STATE LEGISLATURE.
Nashville American.


show. The bottled up elcquence of
months was turned impetuOusly
loose upon the State, and the echoes
rang loud and clear through the
big hallway and up above the gal
leries. They lodged around the
Speakers stand, halted entertain
ingly about the press desk and then
darted away into the empty COM
mittee rooms. There was not only
eloquence, however. There was
patriotism of the patriotism of the
stereotyped order, and there were
song AMI dance teats by enthused
orators and there was applause and
there was wit and humOr. The
Democrats are largely in the major
ity, but they didn't have any sort
of corner on all this oratOry. Some
OF 1t broke loose from the Republic
can side and broke loose strong.
The subject that served the much
desired end was the Carson bill to
make the payment Of poll taxes a
condition prece dent to the exercise
of the elective franchise. In other
words, the bill was to require man
to pay his poll tax before he could
vote. There couldn't have been q
better bill to develop OratOry, and
It cOulnn't have been introduced at
Q better time. 1t proved to be q
regular lung-tester, and it showed
that whatever else may be said
about our Tennessee statesmen,
they have good lungs and their vol.
ces cannot be confined within cir
cumscribed limits.
Mr.. Carson was the first orator to
make play. He is modest man
as we'll as an able one, and his
speech was delivered in very dig
nified and convincing way. But
when he sat down, modestly sat
down In the same chair and nerve
as boundless as the UNEMPLOYED
oceans and verbosity too broad for
. Webster's unabridged dictionary
took its place.
Collins, from Carter County, was
the first to set the atmosphere to
vibrating. 1t was he to whom the
honor and credit is due for first
arousing lethargic Ciceros and De-
mOsthenes anr Websters and CAL
houns and Clays and Joel Forts,
They were all present and cooked
and primed, but it was reserved for
Collins to touch them of. He did
so and it most effectually. He did
1t with speech that was remarka'
BILE, principally for being delivered
In very loud tones. He was Re-
publican, and he spoke the opposi
ton of his party and of himself to 9
measure which he believed to be
unconstitutional and high-handed
Mr.. Collins most startling state
ment was to the effect that the Re
publican party was the recognized
friend of ballot reform. The new
feature Of this statement deserve.
general attention.
Mr.. Savage, of Warren; Mr.. Pal
mer, of Rutherford; MI. Williams
Of Franklin; Mr.. Lewis, Of Henry
Mr.. Calicott, Of Obion, and Mr.. My
ers, Of Bedford, all spoke very elo
quently in support CT the measure
and Messrs. Whitthorne, OF Maury
Dismukes, Of Sumner; Fort, of Rob
ertson, and Mr.. Hale, Of Trousdale
spoke as eloquently against it.
The debate was long and was
very spell-binding. 1t lasted
through the morning and went on
an hour or itwo in the afternoon
and was spirited from first to last
Nessrs. Morris and Polk, of David
son, Mccall, Mcdonald, Hinkle
Cummins and Others did not speak
but kept up fire of queries upon
those who did. AT least, however
the fires of eloquence began to grow
dim and a vote direct upon the
measure was taken. Fifty votes
were necessary to its constitution
al passage. 1t received 40 and fail
ed. Mr.. Lewis changed his vote
in order to be able to move recon
sideration, and the journal there
fore shows As ayes and Al hayes.
Mr.. Roster introduced resolu
ton rendering the use of the hall o.
the House of Representatives to thu
Republican National League. Lie.
over.
New bills were introduced as fol
lows:
BY Mr.. Polk, to enlarge the boun
daries of the city of Nashville; by
Mr.. Morris to make valid and lega
all charters taken out under chap
ter 142 of the acts of 1875; by the