The herald., 1893-09-29
EXCITED STATESMEN.
The Lie Passed Between Members OF
the House.


The Lie Passed Between Members of
the House.
WASHINGTON, Sept. 2S.-The lie passed
ut the opening of the session of the house
. this morning between Morse os.Massa-
chusetts and Fithian OF Illinois. Morse
attempted to justify his course in fill
clustering yesterday and charged Fithian
with being solely responsible for the re-
fusal of the house to permit him to
print in the Record newspaper extracts
attacking Pension Commissioner Loch-
rem. Fithian, replying, said Morse had
endeavored to induce him (Fithian) to
withdraw his objection to the printing,
BY coming to him and intimating that
he (Morse) would, as a member of the
committee on buildings and grounds,
help Fithian to get through any public
building bill in which he might be in
terested.
'That's absolutely false" shouted
Morse, striding menacingly toward
Fithisn.
sIf the gentleman from Massachu-
setts denies the statement, have proof
that will satisfy any member of the
house. My colleague Goldsier heard the
conversation, retorted Fithian.
Morse backed against the rails and re-
piled meekly: "Whst the gentleman
says has the color OF truth" laughter,
but the construction he placed on it is
unquslifiedly false"
''If the gentleman denies my state
ment," yelled Fithian, shaking his fist
angrily at Morse, ''he will be fully lying
himself"
The house was then in an uproar. The
speaker pounded vigorously for order,
declaring both out OF order. This closed
the incident.
The debate on the bill to repeal the
federal election laws was resumed.
Gen. John G. Black, OF Illinois, ex-
commissioner of pensions, spoke in
support of the bill-his maiden speech
in the house. He was accorded the
closest attention. He said he would
not discuss the question from coneti-
tutional point of view, but would try to
show his reasons for favoring repeal.
These laws were enacted in 1865. The
most that could be said for them was
that they were designed to operate un-
der circumstances which no longer
existed. 1t was fviiowing a fierce de-
moralizing struggle; the system was the
child Of force, hatred and dread of men
long arrayed on sectional lines against
each other. If ever efficient. their time
was gone. The thing needed now is the
elevation OF the franchise. If men are
not fit to exercise this right, they
should be deprived of the privilege.
He did not mean ignorance OF
books, but of the genius OF American
institutions. Corrupt, venal voters con-
stitute danger to the country. The
election laws do not meet and were not
designed to meet this condition. Their
purpose was to protect and elevate an
unfortunate race By supporting them
with the strong arm OF the government.
They appealed to force, not reason, and
intensified the race issue. He would
vote any amount of tax money and any
force to uphold the dignity of the gov
but these laws did neither.
johnson, of North Dakota, arranged
the Democratic party in a most bitter
manner.
Breckenridge, the silver-tongued Ken.
tucky orator followed. He hurled de-
fiance at the Indianian. "If the gentle
man is fair type" he said, ''of the
people of his district, then they cannot
OO Vi iAeA1iECo AL cOhoiAB bplO A11Hll " III
denounces as infamous the majority oil
the people of this country. | have 6
profound pity for man who could make
such speech, who does not believe his
countrymen can he trusted. With thic
l dismiss him from my mind and from
my speech"
There are other things" shouted
johnson, (which the gentleman from
Kentucky, would like to dismiss."
At this direct allusion to the famous
Pollard-Breckinridg breach of promise
suit, some Republicans laughed, but
their laughter was drowned by storm
of Democratic hisses. "Such q remark, -
replied Breckenridge bitterly, "only
shows that the gentleman has no sense
of the propriety and decency of public
life"
Breckinridge's speech was devoted
largely to the constitutional phase OF
the question.
AT the conclusion of Breckinridgs'e e
speech the house adjourned.
TALK OF CnnTppnNrTaE