The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-09-15
Republicans Solid Against Fed
eral Election Law Repeal.
THE Ex-conFeossATss sAFFLsD
Administration Democrats Side With
Reed and His United Band.
Voorhees, Hopes the silver Men VIII
Get Tired and Permit = Vote In .
Couple OF weeks-squIre Has . Com
promise scheme.

6AsHfSGToS CITY, Sept. a. special. f-
Open war began in the house today. Par
tisan hostiiities were inaugursted over the
Tucker bill TO repeal existing Federal elec-
tion laws. II became apparent at the out
set that the Republican members would
hight the proposition to repeat the existing
election laws TO the bitter end. Burrows
of Michigan led in the ti'ibustering move
ment. He declared in Justification of his
course that measure 80 sweeping as the
Tucker bill, driving the national govern
ment out OF the states and leaving no one
on guard at the polls 10 prevent fraud
and corruption in congressional aud presi-
Dental elections, should have no status in
the house until the Democrats produced
their own quorum. Furthermore. the
leaders declare that once il gets into the
arena of debate. they will resist its passage
with every expedient known to parlia-
mentary lax. In the filibustering fight
today they demonstrated their ability
TO block matters and deadlock the
house until quorum of Demo-
cratic members is produced. By their
actions and words today il is understood
they are in desperate earnest. and present
election laws viii only be repealed after a
hard fought, exciting, and bitterly con-
tested strGggie. They won the first blood
today by forcing a resolution revokiag
all leaves of absence, and summoning ah.
sentees by telegraph TO Washington City.
Some administration Democrats led by
Gen. Tracey of New York. knowing the
White House opposition TO present con-
sideration of this pill or any other bill in
the house which may complicate the fight
in the senate for unconditional repeal,
acted with the Republicans today.
This angered the silver Democrat. in the
house, especially the Southern men who are
particularly interested in the passage of
the Tucker bill. 1t Is claimed tonight
that the president did not countenance
this course on the part of his recognized
lieutenants in the house. If this is true
they will probably be promptly called off
and their position in the future, rejecting
that of the administration, will show a
change OF sentiment at the other end OF
the avenue
The majority report of the committee on
the bill repeating the Federal elections
laws declares that the purpose and object
for which these laws were passed have
long since passed away. Surely no officer
of the army or navy sEouid be left 10 de-
termine when il is necessary TO bring
troops to the polls. and the constitution
has explicitly prohibited it. With refer
ence to those laws relating TO the appoint
ment, duties and compensation of super
visors of elections and deputy marshals,
the report goes into the constitutionality
of the laws. which were passed under war
rant OF the section OF the constitution pre-
scribiEg elections, and says:
ssTha nhiant og Iarfel.,t@, .koull - a..
prevent conflicts between the state and
Federal authorities. The conditions they
were designed to meet have happily passed
away. and we feel that they cannot be too
| quickly erased from the statutes. Let
every trace OF reconstruction legislation oe
wiped from the books. Let the states
understand that the elections are in their
own hands and that IL there be fraud,
coercion or force they alone will suffer by
| il. Responding 10 the demand for purity
! In elections, many states have enacted
| laws TO protect and purify the ballot.
| These statutes should be speedily repealed,
because they mix state ana Federal au-
| thouty; because they have been and will
| be used as part OF the machinery of pollti-
| cal parties 10 reward friends and destroy
| enemies; because under them the rights
| OF citizens have been taken from them
| because their enactment shows distrust of
! the states and their ability TO guard elec-
uons, ana last. because their repeai VIII
eliminate the judiciary from the political
| arena and restore the somewhat shaken
| confidence of the people in the integrity
and impartiaIity of the Federal judiciary"
The minority report, prepared by John
son of North Dakota, goes az length into
! the constitgtionalitv OF these laws. and
draws picture of the condition ons existing
| prior TO their enactment IN 1852. from a re-
! port prepared then by Congressman
Lawrence. of Ohio, and the condition of
| affairs after their enactment, from a re-
| port of the late Sunset" Cox in 1877. 1t
/ is remarkable that the minority report
| does not even allude TO the effects of the
election laws in the South. This. Johnson
| says, is in accordance With the policy of
/ the Republicans not TO raise the bloody
shirt" cry. They say If II is raised il will
1 be by the other side.