The Iola register., 1891-02-13
Senator IngnlIs DeAnes HIS Position 81
the CIoture and Elections Bills

|
Mr.. Ingalls, last Thursday in the sen
ate rising to a personal statement, SAID
/ that he had been absent from the ses-
sions during the past two weeks, in
which interval action had been taken
on the cloture and the elections bill.
His attitude on both these questions had
been the subject of comment and cen
sure. The day OF his departure, after
consultation with Mr.. Allison, on whom
he had been accustomed to lean in
every hour of need, he left with Mr..
Casey (who had charge of the pairs OF
absentees) a note, saying Il should
vote against the proposed change of the
rules, and should vote for a motion to
proceed to the consideration of any
other than the elections bill, and am
paired accordingly with Senator ALI
son, who is at liberty to vote to make a
quorum" He had been opposed, he
said, unalterably opposed, 10 the adOp-
tion of the cloture, for many reasons
sufficient and satisfactory to himself.
There were those present who knew
that many months ago, while occupy
ing the chair while in the absence of
the vice president, he resisted many
urgent opportunities and many strenu-
Gus solicitations to cooperate in that
directions by methods which he then
believed and now believed were revolu-
tionary and subversive of the funds-
mental principles of the constitutional
government He has not seen any Oc-
casion to change or modify his cOnvic-
tiOnS.
He vas now and always had been in
favor of Just and impartial election
law, directed alike against force and
fraud, non-partisan and applicable
equally to all parts OF the nAtion.
The measure under consideration, how
ever, did not in many OF its details re-
ceive the sanction of his judgement.
1t appeared to him to be cumbrOus,
complicated, obscure in many of its
provisions and difficult OF application.
1t subordinated the Judiciary TO po.
litical control and opened the treasury
to indefinite expenditure without re-
quisite supervision lin his judgementl
of the spirit if not the letter of the Con-
stitution that declared that no money
shall be drawn out of the treasury ex-
cept in consequence of appropriations
made by the law. In order to guard
against the enactment of such a meas
IRE into law in his absence, and with
out amendments which he regarded as
ESSENTIAL to prevent dangers not less
distinct than those which it was intend
ed to obyiate, he had reserved the
right to vote in his abSence) with those
Republicans who favored the consider
alton of other important measures I'M
less those notifications were made.
de had no arrangement, agreement or
understanding, expressed or implied,
direct or indirect, remote or contingent,
to have his vote counted against the
| p Ssage of the elections bill, and in
that statement he was convinced that
/ he would be corroborated by the Sen
ator from Iowa. He was as ready now
is he had always been to proceed with
its consideration and with notifications
which he had always believed essen
tall to support it to the end. He had
been Republican since the party was
born and had voted without variable
ness or shadow of turning" for every
Republican candidate. During the
period he had never espOuscd u cause
which he believed to BE- wrCng, because
it was popular, and had never refused
to advocate a cause which he believed
to be right, because it was unpopular.
He had recently expressed no opinion
on political, social or economic ques-
tions which he had not long entertained,
and to which he had not given frequent
utterance in the Senate chamber and
elSew here.
1t was noted that the streets of Jeru-
salem had BEEN kept clean by every
man sweeping before his own door, and
he commended TO the selfcOnstituted
guardians of the conscierces OF their
associates (Outside OF the Senate
chamber) that they should observe Il
more frugal, prudent and guarded hus-
bandry of their disapprobatiOn. These
leaders who had conducted the most
powerful political organization ever
known in American history to the
stupendOus and overwhelming disaster
recorded in its annals might well par
don those who were disposed to doubt
the infallibility of their judgement. II
they were wise. they would be less pro
,criptiye and more tolerant OF differ
ences of opinion among their associates
on questions of opinion on which differ
ences might be allowed, especially
among those whose devotion to human
liberty had never been questioned, and
whose cOnstancy and fortftude had
been exposed to tests as severe at least
as any which they had ever known
It may be wei enough TO call a spade