Los Angeles herald., 1892-11-06
STEVENSON'S TOUR.
NEW LIGHT THROWN UPON THE
FORCE BILL CONSPIRACY.
Congressman Cummings Details the Ar
bitrary Methods by Which 1t Was
Forced Through the Eouse-Unparal-
ieied Tyranny and Enrontery.
Especial correspondence ]

| lHrouSH Lnc
Ieied Tyranny and Efrrontery.
Especial Correspondence.1
New YORK, Oct. 10.-In this city the
campaign of Adlai Stevenson in North
Carolina has been watched with much
interest Senator David B. Hill speaks
Of it in the warmest terms. Mr.. Steven
son made the force bill vital issue. The
character of this bill was surpassed by
the violence of the measures adopted in
the house Of representatives to pass it.
1t was not until after the campaign of
1888 that the Republicans showed their
hand. They knew that by the official
returns they had three majority in the
next house. The second session of the
Fiftieth congress, which was Democratic,
met in December following the election.
On Feb. 13, 1887, the Smalls-Elliott con-
tested election case came before the
house. Henry Cabot Lodge, in a speech
on behalf of Robert Smalls, openly an
nounced that the Republicans in the
next house intended to pass force bill.
They would have Control of both houses
and the executive. department of the
government for the first time in years.
Mr.. Crisp, of Georgia, asked Lodge if
the Republican party claimed the right
to put troops at the polls under the pre-
tense that they were wanted to secure u
fair election. He replied that they did
Mr.. Harrison foreshadowed the force
bill i'll his inaugural message in less than
three weeks afterward. He also advised
the passage of such measure in his first
message to Tom Reeds congress, which
met in December, 1889. The Republican
majority in that congress meantime had
been increased to eight by the admission
of North and South Dakota, Montana
and Washington into the Union. The
force bill conspirators were not satisfied
with this majority. 1t was too small
for them to pass the bill desired. There
were Confederate soldiers among the
| Republican members who would not
vote for it. To insure the passage of the
| bill they determined to increase their
majority in the house by throwing out
Democratic members and placing Re-
publicans in their seats. To do this the
most tyrannical measures were adopted
On Jan. 25, 1890, before the house had
adopted any rules, the contested cleo
ton case of Smith against Jackson was
called. Judge jackson had been re-
turned from West Virginia by forty
four official majority. The instant the
case was called up Mr.. Crisp, of Geor-
gia, raised the question of considera-
ton. When the vote was taken the
Democratic members, seeing that the
r ,1iconc hcd Taf11caI IN
vote. Thereupon Tom Reed, acting, as
he claimed, under general parliamen-
tary law" counted enough Democrats
present and not voting to secure a
quorum. This was in violation of prece-
dents set by Speaker Blaine and others.
1t was the first time that a speaker had
assumed this power since the foundation
of the government.
Mr.. Crisp appealed from the action of
the speaker, and Mr.. Reed, acting STILL as
he claimed, under general parliamentary
law, refused to entertain the appeal. He
also refused to entertain motion to ad-
| journ, claiming that it was dilatory
motion, and that under parliamentary
law he had right to do so.
Thus, by the tyrannical and unconsti-
tutional ruling of the speaker, the Jack
son case was forced before the house.
| Judge jackson was ousted from his
seat, but the Republicans furnished a
| quorum of 1917 votes to GUST him. They
were afraid to do it by counting Demo-
Gratis present and not voting, because
this would give the judge an opportunity
to appeal to the supreme court upon Tom
Reeds rulings under general parliamen-
tary law.
By the ousting of Judge Jackson the
Republican majority in the house was
increased to ten.
Fearing that they would be unable to
obtain IL voting quorum in the other con-
tested election case the Republicans
were forced to adopt rules for the gov
ernnent of the house. One of these
rules gave the speaker the power to
count those present and not voting to
make a quorum. But this very rule
was adopted under the ruling of the
speaker that he had right under par
liamentary law to count such a quorum.
The rules were adopted ON Feb. IA.
On Feb. 27 Mr.. Pendleton, another Dem
ocrat from West Virginia, was turned
out of his seat by four votes less than a
quorum, Reed counting enough Demo-
Gratis present and not voting to make a
quorum. Pendleton's official majority
was 10. The Republican majority in
the house was thus increased to IL.
On March Mr.. Cate, of Arkansas,
was unseated. His official majority was
1,34S. The affirmative vote showed 81
less than quorum. The Republican
majority in the house was thus increased
to IA.
On March 20 Barnes Compton, a DEM
ocratic member from Maryland, was un-
seated. His official majority was 1871.
The affirmative vote was s less than a
quorum. The Republican majority in
the house was increased to 16.
On April II George D. Wise, a Dem
ocratic member from Virginia, was un-
seated. His official majority was 361.
The affirmative vote was 43 less than a
quorum. The Republican majority was
thus increased to 1S.
On June A Louis w. Turpin, a Demo-
crat from Alabama, was unseated. His
official majority was 3,153. The affirm
ative vote was thirty-seven less than a
quorum. The Republican majority had
thus been increased from three to
twenty.
With these stolen votes the Republic
ans felt them selves able fO mass force