New-York tribune., 1891-01-28
A TALK WITH MR. EDMUNDS
SOME FRANK OPINIONS ABOUT TIE
ELECTION BILL.
rop,-1,r ERRORS CONCERNING IT MISREpRE
SENTATIONs BY THE OPrOlTlON-
WHAT IT AIMS TO DO.

Vermont.
last evening lie presented clear view OF tle
measure and indicated plainly what he 'houeh'
was the duty Of every Republican regarding IT.
He said thnt the opposition to the Election Dill
could be cassed under the four DS. flrs'' 'hc
Democrat pure and simple: second, the Dough-iacc
of the North who always sides with the Southern
wing of his party: third the Demagosuc who' J"
the form of the Mugwump. always seeks 10 nav
peace at any price, ard fourth, Dives, Inc TIC"
Ncw-York grocer who thinks that If the EIeclloh
bill were passed he might not be able to seil "S
much tea and sugar in the South as before.
The Senator was asked What is the real
reason of the tremendous opposition the South mas
made TO the Election bill p
He replied History has habit of repeating
itself We are now encOunterinS the same Sl'""-
tion in some respects. that we had thrN wan
ago. We had then i'll politics small slaVe-ho'"
ing oligarchy whose power III politics uePem''"
entirely upon the existence of slavery. Inc"
mower was threatened through the attempt W
abolish slavery There people in the conh-
fry. however. who regarded slavery as CRIME
and without any thought of loss, actuated by an
adherence to principle. moved against this gie'V
wrong Then the Democrat, the Dough-face tic
Demaoogue and Dives advanced the same arg"
ments against any agitation Of the subject, asaiS'
ANYTHING which would impair the peacelui ~
lations of the North and the South, that are near"
now. To-day the situation is similar III '""V
this same oligarchy has now begun 10 ouiiu up
a similar system of power in the Sou'h' ms
system contemplates placing the absolute co""oi
of its political affairs in the hands OF Il It." n'''
the descendants of the former sIaNehoid'hH "il'
,ocrocv This is shown in the adoption of the
Mississippi Constitution. This CONSTITUTION WI,
undoubtcdlv be copied by all Of the other South
ern States"
asked the Senator to give some explanation OF
tho workings of the Mississippi Constitution In
renl no said that the politicians had secured there
4bo odontion of n constitution which placed pl2c-
+icaIlv the administration Of all the affairs OF the
State in fine hands of man. the Governor
These selections are nominally made by the Legs
lature. but the Legislature is absolutely con-
trollel hy a set OF managers whose head Is the
Governor This constitution regulates suffrage
in that State upon the alleged basis OF intclli-
eence No man can vote in that State who can
not first. read the constitution Of the State, and
second, be able TO explain on-hand any OF us
provisions The Board Of Examiners are always
Democrats The law provides for no selections
from the opposte PARTY These inspectors can
throw out by this process the vote of any Re
publican who has not special knowledge. Ihe
Senator said that he had not read recently The
constitution oe that State but he is ceran that
il contains clauses providing for the issuing OF
wrts of qvo warrantO and Of mandamus. lie SAID
that there were fcw people not skilled lawyers
who could explain oH-hand the exact character ol
such writs ana vher II would be proper TO issue
item There WEI. many questions that cOuid
be asked concerning the features of almost any
consultation which il would he impossible ior
even a trained lawyer 10 answer without time Tor
elaboration aud study The inspectors hnoef
this new constitution can be careful to ask easy
questions Of Democrats and 10 PROFOUND questions
10 Republicans which would give them absolute
control Of the ballot-bONcS. 1t would not he
necessary to refuse count votes cast, but under
this improved machinery Democratic result
could be recorded without any apparent fraud or
dishonesty Such system left the power IN tae
State in the hands Of a few people. but the Senator
believed that although the mills OF the gods grlhu
slowly they will grind exceedingly SMALL ana
that the future would the downfall OF TINS
svstem without any outside influences being
brought 10 bear against IT, The growth OF educa-
ton and intelligence in Southern communities
among the whites who now do not Know now 10
read or write and among the colored people must
in the end pull down this artificial attempt ol
the descendants of the slave-holdng arstocracy
10 build up exclusive power for themselves.
"Is it true that the Election bill contemplated
any interference with the local administration OF
the States"
The Senator replied in his most emphatic way
Most decidedly not. The declaration that We
have for a moment thought of trying TO control
+Ie local affairs in the Southern States is. 10 use
ulain language. lie Such misrepresentation
is q mart Of the hue and cry raised against TINS
measure IT. is said that we are Offering d
measure which shall give the negro supremacy
in the SOUTH and that the white people are
therefore to be sympathized with because 'h'N
will not submit to such domination Ihls "H
relates strictly 10 National affairs. 1t proNoes
simply for an inspection and supervision ol tlis
Southern olgarchical machine in the election OF
members to Congress. On the floor to-day the
South has twice the strength of the North III
proportion TO the votes cast.
1T is said that this bill was not a practical
measure, and that no good could be accomplished
10y it?"
The Senator said in reply to this that it
would throw light upon the Southern machine
system and through that means the public would
bc educated up 10 a full knowledge of tie stua-
ton. He was under an impression that this
situation was not generally understood. But that
WAS nothing TO him for the moment. The Repub-
ljcans in Congress were bound 10 act mp 10 the
light of their present knowledge. and 10 trust
that the constituencies that they represent will
more than approve when the explanations are
made 10 them.
The Senator was asked if there was anything
in the bill which w0uld justify the use of tie
Army or the bayonct at the polls.
lie replied that this was anothct OF the' lies
told concerning the measure. TIE Army was now
so restricted in lis that If a mob were to-
Norrow to attack the Treasury of the United
States TO sack il the President would have no real
authority TO call to its protection the troops from
Fort Myer Undoubtedly the President wouh eN-
ercise a doubtful authority under such clrcum-
stances, and he fully justified, but the fact re-
mains that he would have no real authority. The
Army was thus restricted by the Democrats when
,hn,. cnn,n infn nnNer following The election OF