Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1890-06-27
ALONG TALK BEGUN
Battle Opened on the National
Election Bill.
SIX DAYS DEVOTED TO ELoQUENcE.

hce-CalI in Hard Luck-Chicago's Cen
sus status-Bulidozed the Postmaster.
WASHINGTON CITY. June 27-The. de-
bate on the national election bill began in
the house of representatives yesterday and
will rage with great vigor doubtless until
the gag of the previous question is applied
July 2. As six days of eloquence will have
been devoted TO the illumination of the
subject by that time, it would seem that
the subject will have been pretty well ex-
hausted and that pretty much all that can
be said pro and con will have been said.
Lodge of Massachusetts, who is the author
in most part of the measure, took the
floor to give it the send-off. The bill, he
said, did nothing in a corner. Every step
in the elections under it would be taken
in the open light of day. The point he
urged with the greatest vigor was that
whether justified or not-there was gen
eral suspicion of the fairness of elections
in certain parts of the country. The cleo
tions might be fair, but they should be
known to be so, and this bill would re-
move suspicion if they were so and stop
the corruption if it existed.
Origin of Such Legislation.
He gave the origin of the law now on
the statute books, and said this bill was
nothing more than an extension of that
law The first election bin had its or
igin in the frauds in New York in 1870
and 1871, where in one ward after throw
ing out all the other votes, the Democratic
vote alone was fourteen times greater
than the total population OF the ward
men, women and children. He referred
to the great discrepancy existing between
the number of votes it takes TO elect
congressman in the north and some of
southern states, averaging less than 1900
in the south to over $1,000 in the north,
and intimated that there must be a mig
ger in the woodpile." What he wanted
was the truth, and this bill would bring
it out.
HemphiIl Replies to Lodge.
Hemphill of South Carolina made an ar
gument to prove the bill unconstitutional,
sectional and inefiicient-the latter be-
cause if United States inspector should
be corrupted and return a Democrat he
could not be removed. That had not oc-
Cured to the gentleman from Massachu-
vision in the bill than that which pro-
vided for the appointment of an unnum-
bered force of men absolutely under the
direction of the supervisor. He declared
that partisanship among officeholders in
| the south was what was the matter, and
not the elections; that new north" was
| needed, and that the confession that there
| was general belief that corruption ex-
isted was most humiliating
Northern Gerrymanders Denounced.
He ridiculed the Republican cry of "A
free ballot and fair count" and said that
it was useless to talk about a free ballot
| in Kansas when the state had been so ger
rymandered that the 1890 Democrats
there had never been represented in the
house He referred TO the peculiarities of
districting which made it take more votes
in California, Illinois, and other states TO
send Democrat to congress than to send
Republican. He charged that New York
and Connecticut were both misrepresented
on the floor of the senate, because both OF
them really were Democratic.
A Significant Conclusion.
In conclusion Hemphill said: 1--WE
know we must either rule that country
fthe SOUTH or leave it. Now, for myself,
before the people of the United States, and
before God, in all reverence, l swear we
will not leave it. [Applause.l -
do not hesitate to say that the colored man
has as many rights as have, but he can't
| have his rights and mine, too; and this
law is intended to put him again in con-
troll of the southern states; intended to
awaken that race prejudice which is fast
dying out; intended to bring out again
| that constant irritation and clash between
ha t.rT in no nh
tard its growth, and which will be de
structive of the very principles of human
government
RowelI Impugns Cleveland's Election.
Rowell of Illinois said that it was the
conviction that every mans ballot counted
one at the polls that made this govern
ment of the people. He thought there was
no question of the power of congress to en-.
| act this law or of the necessity of using
that power. The number was increasing
| of those who believed Mr. Cleveland was
counted in six years ago. He believed the
black vote was suppressed in the south
and it was the expressed intention of the
men who controlled that section that the
suppression should continue.
Oates Gives the Parliamentary Lie.
Oates of Alabama said that of his OWL
knowledge he knew the statement to be
untrue.
Rowell replied that only on that basis
could the most universal absence from the
polls of the black men in many southern
states be accounted for.
Pool of Arkansas and Lewis of Missis
sippi both declared that there was nc
| charge of fraud in their districts. Wheeler
of Alabama and Crisp of Georgia, speak
ing for their states, denied ROwell's
charges.
Crisp asked Rowell to account for the
silence of 40 per cent. of the vote of Maine
and Massachusetts.
i. Rowell replied that it was not so in O
presidential year.
McRae Makes an Admission.
Breckenridge and Rowell had dispute
over the circumstances of the formers
election, during which McHae of Arkan-
sas admitted that armed men rode about
the polling places in that state in Powell
Clayton's time, but said there had beer
better times since.
The days debate was closed by Lehl
bach, who wanted the people of the several
states let alone in the matter, and Tucker,
who said the way to correct fraud was by
an enlightened public sentiment which
would frown it down.
A Pretty State of Things.
WASHINGTON CITY, June 27.-The post
master general has sent n guard to White
Springs, Fla, to protect the postmaster
there-C. l.. Morrison, Republican-be
cause the office has been boycotted, the
postmaster violently carried, bound, to G