The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-06-18
ADANGER TO THE SOUTH.
EWART DENoUNCEs THE FaD-
ERAL ELECTION BILL

II Would Strengthen Race Prejudice
snd Hopelessly Divide the Now
Closing Gap Between the Two
Colors-Negro Supervisors and Can
vassers Would Precipitate Blood
shed.
WASHINGTON, June II. - A significant
figure of tho debate in the House caucus
last night upon the national election bill was
speech made by Mr.. Esart, a southern
republican, in opposition to the bill. He
characterized the bill as "force BILL" and
declared that it would fail utterly of it's
purpose. In the white districts Of the south
fair count was the rule, and consequently
the law would not be called into operation
there. In the black districts it would, if
invoked, add TO the miseries of the colored
people, and do more than anything that
could be devised to strengthen race pre-
judice and hopelessly divide the gradually
closing gap between the whites and blacks,
WHITE MEN WOULDN'T ACT.
In many counties in the south white re-.
publicans could not be found to act "a
supervisors and canvassers, so that it would
be necessary to appoint negroes, and the
result OF antagonistic white and black cleo
tion officers would inevitably be bloodshed
and riot.
Mr.. Ewart believed that if .thersouthern
people we're let alone they would work out
their own political salvation. There were
now many evidences of weakened party
feeling. Numbers of white democrats in
the south had strong leanings toward pro-
lection and broad, liberal national viewa
regarding the policy Of internal improve.
ments.
FEARS OF LOCAL NEGRO GOVERNMENT.
They would have become republicans by
this time but for fear of local negro govern
ment; and as 1t was, they had taken heart
from the growing disaffection of the south
ern republican negroes owing to the failure
OF the party to carry out its pledges In the
matter of the Blair educational bill aud
patronage) and were preparing to take
advantage of the split of the negro vote,
which would quiet their own apprehensions
and allow them to follow their own prefer
ences and convictions. All of this progress
toward the settlement Of the race question
would be negatved, in Mr. Evarts' estima-
tion, by the adoption Of the reactionary
policy proposed by the authors of the
national election law.
COMBINED KICK.
Speaker Reed finds it little more difflcult
than he has thought to crowd the Johnny
Davenport federal election bill down the
throat Of the House. Fourteen republicans,
mostly southerners, announced in the caucus
last night that they would have none of 1t,
on the ground Of party expediency. Four
Of these. Mr.. Ewart Of North Carolina, Mr.,
Browne of Virginia, Mr.. Coleman Of
Louisiana, and Mr. Frank of Missouri, say
that they are willing to brave Speaker
Reeds displeasure and vote against IL in the
House. MIR. Ewart says that they do not
think 1t can become law. and that the
Senate will not pass it if the House does.
Ex-senator Norwood of Georgia pointed
out to-day that the bill Is unconstitutional.
because it undertakes to delegate the law
making power invested In congress and the
President to fifty or one hundred citizens. a
small minority of one-three-hundredth on
one-1ve-hundredth in a district He has
no doubt, after careful examination Of
authorities that the supreme court would
hold that such a law was simply null and
void. TO be constitutional the law must be
of universal application, and not at the dis
cretion of fifty or one hundred men. be
brought the point to the attention of Mr..
Crisp to-day, who. after consulting author.
tiles. agrees with him