Daily Texarkana Democrat., 1893-09-20
THE GAGE OF BATTLE
Offered by Grosvenor of Ohio and Ac.
cepted by McRae of Arkansas.

Offered by Grosvenor of Ohio and Ac-
cepted by mcRae Of Arkansas.
On Thursday last scene was enact.
ed ON the floor of the House of Rep
resentatives in Washington which will
long be remembered by those present.
The occasion was a debate on the bill
proposing a repeal of the existing
Federal election law. In the heat of
this "war of words" that mailed cham
pion of Ohio Republicanism, Mr..
GrosVenor stung by the superiority,
numerically and otherwise, of his
Democratic opponents, hurled upon
the floor of the House his party gage
Of political warfare. In an instant
the hands of more than a score of
brave knights of Democracy were out,
stretched TO receive the partisan token,
but to Hon. Thomas c. McRae, of Ar
kansas, the honor was accorded. Ris-
ing to reply to the Ohioan's threat of
"Republican retaliation IN the Senate" j"
Mr.. McRae said:
Mr.. Speaker, the gentleman from
Ohio [Mr. Grosvenorl says that the
Republicans have stood by the Ad-
ministration in support of what is
called the Wilson bill, and without
saying so in so many words, he leaves
us to infer that for this support he ex-
poets the Administration to stand
with the Republicans in resisting the
repeal of the Federal election law.
Without having any authority to speak
for the Administration, l will assume
to say that it has made and will make
no such agreement with the Republi-
cans. Woe be unto the Administra-
tion and any Democrat who makes
any agreement that will perpetuate
this law. We have been elected upon
pledges to repeal these odious election
laws, and we should go to work at
once in earnest to do SO.
The Republicans may join in an eff
fort to take from the people their sill
yer money, but think the Democrat
ic party can be trusted to repeal the
election law. | believe at least nine
tenths of the Democrats here and at
home are in favor of securing to the
people the right to a free and full
vote, and to give the states the full
control over all elections. With these
rights secured to the people, they can
soon repeal the bad laws that have
been passed, whatever this Congress
may see fit to do. | appeal to every
Democrat-North, South, East, and
West-to come here at once and get
together upon this and all other ques-
lions of Importance. The people want
these oppressive laws, that have been
denounced by our party for twenty
years past, wiped from the statute
book. 1t is our duty to act now. The
Wilson bill has been passed and is
now behind us, and whether it was
wise or unwise. 1t is thing OF the
past, so far as this House is concerned.
Why should we come here day after
day and do nothing when there are
upon the statutes laws that may
ieopardize the liberties of our people?
The people have commissioned us to
repeal the Mckinley bill and other
oppressive laws, among them these
election laws, which are an insult to
the people and an impeachment of
the integrity of the state authori les
in every state IN this Union.
1t is a credit TO the committee in
charge of the election bill that,it has
acted so promptly. There will never
be any better time than now to act
upon it. The Committee on Ways
and Means is at work on tariff bill
that will require several weeks to per-
feet. The Banking and Currency
committee are not ready to report
This bill is ready to be considered and
it should be taken up and passed,
nTNH a