Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1890-12-06
EXTRACT OF TALK.
Being a Dose of Specimen Con-
gressional Osatory.
GRAY DENoUNcEs THE FORCE BILL.

One Scion of Which IL Particularly
Obnoxious TO Him-A Meraber of the
House Offers Big Bet--Predicting .
Deficiency = senator Stanford's Com
ments ON His scheme for Making
Money Easy TO Borrow-Omcial Dec.
iaration TO the Tariff.
WASHINGTON CITY, Dec 6.--It seems
that the policy Of the Republicans in the
senate is to let the Democrats talk them
selves out. as SO far not Republican has
spoken on the election bill Gray made o
speech yesterday. He said that 'notwith-
standing the sneer" uttered by the presi.
dent of the United States as to the objec-
tions of those who opposed the bill, there
were those on his side of the chamber and
throughout the country who believed that
the bill was one that threatened the integ-
rity Of American institutions, state and
NATIONAL that 1t was fraught with the
greatest danger to the future prosperity Of
the whole country, and that 1t menaeed
the liberties of the people of all the states.
A Question of Jurisdiction.
Taking up the fourteenth section of the
bill, which gives jurisdiction on election
matters to United States courts and judges,
Gray argued that such extra-judiciol duties
could not be imposed by congress upon
courts and judges, and he fortified his ar
guments by quotations from the decisions
Of the supreme court.
George suggested the question whether
II the powers described in the fourteenth
section We're judicial, they could be con-
ferred on a board of canvassers, and
whether, ii they were not judicial, they
could be conferred upon a circuit court.
Hoar Asks a Question.
Gray thought that the question was a
striking calculation of the doctrine which
he had been endeavoring to develop and
discuss. Ii tho powers were judicial,
1t was beyond the competence of congress
to confer them upon a board of canvassers:
and. if they were not judicial, they could
not be conferred upon the court
Hoar asked Gray whether he held that
a state legislature could not authorize a
board of canvassers TO count votes and de
clare the title to an Office, and provide
further, that there might be an appeal to
the Judicial power to revise and con-
troll the action of such board
Gray replied that the correct answer to
the question would depend very largely on
the constitution of the particular state.
Provocative of Rebellion.
Coming 10 the section which provides
that a supervisor Of elections Ito be select
ed as n discreet" mani may make house
TO house visitation to inquire as to the
names, politics, nationality, ETC., of its
male inmates, Gray said: In all the
measures which provoked and goaded our
ancestors to resist the tyranny of the
British king, there was none that ap-
preached the infamy of this provision;
and, moderate as am in all my concep-
tons OF my duty as citizen and man;
law abiding as | have always been, and
respectful to the powers that be, I say now
that, when this supervisor knocks at my
door, pray God that shall be at home"
ISome applause
Is the Clause I'm or Out:
Hoar explained that this clause was in
the bill by mistake The committee had
struck it out. A discussion followed as to
the advisability of striking il out of the
substitute, Edmunds defending il, and
urging its retention. German moved to
have the bill reprinted. No action was
taken on Germans motion, and Gray still
retained the floor