Fair play., 1892-09-10

dome anu survey al biS i&ihs 49,
of commerce tributary TO : 81. wnere
w wou!d cur eve rest with greatest PRIDE
,.,! satisfaction? The south. MT.
Chairman, the great cotton states OF
the south toiling up with heroic enef-
~ against tremendous odds, but un'
dismayed, with victory, almost IN
touch' reaching down her white hand
from the summit-there IS the lana
where your banner waves trlumph2nI
1t is III the south your conquer:ng ener-
pies will find their widest field to play.
and there your greatest triumphs must
be Won
Mr. Chairman. there hangs this day
impending above tina, fair land an om-
iuous aud nanaCing shadow. The peo-
pie there stand in the forhidding pres
euce OF dread apprehension during
the Fiftv-tr>t congress. presided over by
Mr.. Speaker Reed. Il Legislative measure
known now as the force bill. was IN
;roduced in the house of representa-
tives. That measure was prepared oy
John :. Davenport. one OF the most
adroit and INSCRIPTIONS repuhilcan
thim5lc-riggcrs IN the city OF New
York. 1t Was introduced III the house
bv Henry Cabot Lodge. of MasSachu-
srtts, an aesthetic statesman with DIM
Piled fingers. who parts mis-
hair in the middle. wears an orange
coiorci surcingl, i'll the SUNNI time.
and pridcs himself chiefly on being de-
sccudc,l from old John Cabot, who pre-.
sided over the Hartford convention and
plotted treason behind drawn blinds
with candles lit in daylight, seeking
tn undermine and Subvcrt the govern
! ncnt ut Washington while 1t was
, StraininE every nerve 10 uphold the
American flag and vindicats the home
of the republic in the war of 1879.
measure OF this character. proposing
DEPARTURE 81 radical in our methods.
and spriuging from such source, could
not mean anything of good To the coun-
, try. and could boie only evil to the
, south The effect of this proposed
measure, il enacted into law.
would be to apply 10 tho
whole country substantially the meth
DDS and processes practi1ed In this
state under the proscriptive laws in
! force here twenty years ago. Instead
of the state the federal government
. would appoint SUPERVISORS and regis
, trars, who would take charge OF tho
! polls and registration lists, challenge
, voters and pass upon their qualifica-
tions, determine who was elected and
, issue the certificates Many of these
| oflicials-indecI all the more important
| oncs-wcre t. hold office for life. They
were 10 have the power To appoint an
!, innumrra bile horde of deputy marshalS-
:, and. IL need hc. to invoke the military
, arm to Aid them in the execution OF
their purposes under the law. These
: officials might I've imported from distant
states or communities, ard would owe
:, no responsibility to the people over
!, ! whom they would exercise authority.
| can not go into all the long details
of this mouStrous and revolutionary
proposition. designed To take the ballot
from the people. Ia snbvrrt ana over
: ride the popular will and to throttle
: liberty. 1t was intended not Tor the
e south alone, but for the whole country,
though il would have been first and
/ most harshly enforced in the southern
:, states. Not in twenty years had the
l. southern states been 81 disturbed and
i alarmed as they were while that meas
r ure was pending before the congress-
T. Its passage meant n reign OF dis
Il order, of proiiigacy and possible
e hloodshcd in many OF the southern
< states. II meant the return of the old
Z refine of the carpet-bagger and ne
{ gro domination. The defeat of the bill
e was the occasion of universal rejoicing
d throughout that section of the Union,
/ and for that matter, among patriotic
l. people every where. But il came Woe
1t fully near becoming n law. 1t passed
a the house of representatives, and would
e have passed the senate, except for the
|. | coura gcous manhood OF three or Tour
" republican members of that body who
e voted against il. President Harrison
ic indorsed the measure. and in a message
'e to congress advised and urged its pass
is arc He has since repeatedly given 1t
e his sanction lie stands to-day renomi-
'i mated to the presidency on platform
ii which distinctly commits the republi-
lr can party to that measure as u cardl-
l. nal dogma Of its political creed
81 Gentlemen OF St Louis; do You de-
se that? Do You wish to incur the danger
'd even of its enactment? Do you wish to
at turn havoc loose rioting in the south?
st If so. then vote for Mr.. Harrison and
We elect Il republican house of representa-
ed tives They passed this bill two years
he ago, and are publicly pledged to pass u
NJ afr,in. Do won believe they would hesi-
es tate to pass it if the opportunity comes
er to them? Destroy the south. inaugu-
rate a reign of disorder and put blight
We upon her industries. and what will be-
tn come of st. Louis? If You are opposed
ut to- this partisan scheme of high-handed
n. revolution. then vote for Grover Cleve-
ld land. that great typical American, who
RS dares always to do right according To
D. his best judgment of what it is, without
he regard to consequences.
~ H.
n. reason To dread legislation of that char
he acter, even though no effort should
re ever be made to enforce it here Our
ic experience with force bills should
ed cause us to turn from them with loath-
NJ ing and apprehension. We have no as
to surance that the provisions OF the law,
Ol if enacted. would not be invoked in this
ly state if Maj. Warner should be elected
in to the rovcrnorship. He says he voted
init irts fe
the state constitution in 1870. OF that
We | know nothing. and can not do
r. know he profited by those laws in 1868.
d. do know he was member OF the re-
10 publican national convention recently
ly assembled at Minneapolis, and in that
in convention supported Benjamin Harri-
'se son for denomination and voted TO
ic- adopt the platform containing an IN
" dorsemcnt of the force bill. If he were
of governor of this state, and II he be-
ng lieved the enforcement OF that law
on would advance his own or his party 8
le- interests would he invoke its appica-
le, ton here? And If not here, why would
eir he impose il upon any other state! III
he he is opposed to the measure, why DID
er. he not lift his voice against it at Min
a neapolis?
tic 1T WILL NOT DOWN.
'.a Mr.. Chairman. this great question
'te will not be obscurcd. II must stand
!i 'iii supreme in public thought as long as II
VIZ is agitated and insisted upon by one Of
,sa %a the great political parties Of the coun-
ne trv. ask the people of St Louis to
is speak upon this great issue in Novem
i. Der as it becomes free men to speak
t . Let us give assurance to the merchants
en and planters of the south that Missouri
~. will hold her shield above them as best
MeN M she can. Let US give warning to in
"a triguing marplots and reckless poiiti
Igs , al 80 I'D b,ve the courage
- to maintain them
tho TOIIERs INTERESTED.