The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1892-04-13
LIKE OURISAACPUSEY GRAY
Senator Palmer's Political Record Aired
at Time He Wants Silence.
Like the Indiana Man, the Sucker Statesman
Is q Democratic Candidate and Renegade
Republican-Debates in the Senate.
AN INTERESTING DEBATE.


Memorable Political Trick.
WASHINGTON. April lathe Joint reso-
luton heretofore introduced by MIR. Palm
er. proposing q constitutional amend
ment for the election of United States Sem
ators by the people. was taken up and Mr.
Chandler addressed the Senate In opposi-
ton to it. The time might come. he said.
when he would be convinced that gu oh q
proposition might be submitted, but he
was not convinced of it at the present time.
He would, therefore. state some of his OBJ
jeotions to it. He said that there was no
demand for the change; that there had been
no grievance shown, no injury done, no
suggestion that unless the change was
ate. He did not propose to crafty the
Farmers Alliance by voting for consti-
tutional amendment for which he thought
there was no occasion. Mr.. Chandler went
on to speak of the evil of caucus govern
ment and of caucus nominations, and TO
argue that the present system of electing
Senators was much less liable to fraud and
abuse. He then turned MS attention TO
Mr.. Palmer and his political record; find
ing special fault with an allusion in Mr..
Palmer's speech, some time ago, to the last
election Oh OeneT8l Logan TO the senate DIV
trick. He thought that the Senator
might have allowed that distinguished
man to rest quietly in his grave without
attempting to put upon his name any faint
whatever.
Mr. Palmer disclaimed any idea of re-
flecting on General Logan in that matter,
and gave q short history OF the way in
which General Logan had been elected on
that OccasiOn-a vacancy In Q Democratic
legislative district having been filled
fhrou The secret candidacy unknown IN
the Democratic vOters) of Republican
named Weaver. who had gone through the
district an insurance agent. and been
elected before the Democrats knew there
was any opposition IL the district. He had
characterized this as trick, and 1t had
been laughed at as such in Illinois but
he had not intimated that General Logan
had had any knowledge OF 1t.
Mr.. Chandler resumed and finished his
speech against the constitutional amend
ment. Another objection which$be urged
against it was the present condition of
suffrage in the United States. He spoke of
the suppression OF the popular suffrage In
the three States of South Carolina. Missis-
sippi and Louisiana, and of the degraded
condition of the voters in all the great cit
les of the Union. The vote in New York
city. he said. was cast by the Ignorant. the
degraded, the criminal classes Of that city.
And there as coming into the country an
enormous influx of foreigners. unable to
read and write, degraded In every way,
incapable of casting an Intelligent ballot.
and who, as soon as they reached the coun-
try, were made voters without reference to
the provisions of the naturalization laws
whenever great political party deter
mined to bring them to the polls. This
was the shocking and horrible condition of
the suffrage in America. and instead of I'M
dertaking to restore the suffrage to purity
and integrity. the Senators who had made
such long speeches In support OF the conetl-
tutional amendment were gravely proposing
xhA 0E al et<.x.A
and to made the first important amend
ment to the Constitution in one hundred
yeare.
Mr.. Palmer replied at considerable length
made. personal to himself. relating to his
political history. He briefly related that
history. and said he had left the Repub-
Hcan party when that party had left Its
own principles and became a tariff and pro-
teotionist party. He said that MIR. Chan
dler's speech reminded him of q good old
Baptist preacher who said that he could
preach against slavery and drinking W Risky
from any text in the Bible. So the Senator
from New Hampshire seemed to be able to
preach in regard to certain matters from
any text. He Nj. Palmer had no fear of
the popular vote. Most of the evils that
could be traced to popular influences were
nothing as compared with the evil that
could he found where the popular Will and
the popular interests were disregarded.
The Senator from New Hampshire had
spoken of him as q Republican Senator.
Not only that. but that he MIR. Palmer had
helped to make the Republican party. He
had been the president of the first Repub-
lican State convention ever held in Illinois.
While the Republican party was being de-
voted to the uses for which nc was made no
grander or nObler party had existed. 1t
was only after it fell into the hands of men
who controlled it for the advancement of
their own private interests that it had be-
come the foe to the country which 1t now
was.
Mr.. Cullom had also something to say
about the political incident which resulted
in General Legan's last election to the SEN
ate. He asserted that there was no fraud
in it. He did not know whether General
Logan knew anything about 1t or not. but
he knew that in all that long controversy
from the middle of January to the 10th of
May-it was never insnuated that there
had been corruption or fraud on the part
of any body. If his colleague left the Re-
publican party on account of it's protection
lst principles 1t was somewhat strange. he
thought. that he should have continued in
it SO long. the Morrill, tariff having been
enacted in 1862.
After this Illinois branch of the discus
sion had continued for over an hour, Mr..
Hawley expressed the opinion that what
years ago was of little Importance now.
and he related an snecd0te of General Lo-
gan. who, when somebody asked him on
the stump whether he lad not as a Demo-
crat, said this or that. replied: "Yes: |
WAS as big fool then as you are now"
Laughter. Let us. said Mr.. Hawley. 60
to the calendar.
The joint resolution for q constitutional
amendment was referred to the committee
on privileges and elections, and the Senate,
having passed a number of bills on the
calendar, adjourned.