Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-09-28
THE HOUSE.

There were less than 100 members present
at noon today in the House, and the ma
jority of those in attendance sat on the re-
publican side of the main aisle.
MIR. Morse to the Front.
Before the approval of the journal Mr..
Morse (Mass.) suggested that there was no
quorum present but stated that he would
withdraw his suggestion IL he We're per-
mitted a minute or two to address the
House. Consent was given, and Mr.. Morse
merely said that he regretted that there
was a member in the House who would
object to his request to have certain news
paper clippings published in the Record
That member was the gentleman from ILL.,
nois (Mr Fithian). He had never been an
obstructionist and he would not be ore now
Mr.. Fithian said that he had objected TO
having the matter published because he had
been informed that II contained a personal
attack on the commissioner of pensions. On
the day that he had objected the gentleman
had come to him and had Informed him Mr..
Morse was a member of the committee on
public buildings. and had asked him whether
he was asking for any public buildings in
his district. UaughterD He had answered
in the negative Then the gentleman had
inquired whether he was interested in the
printing bill. He had replied that he was
paying attention to ii. 4
A Question of Veracity.
Mr. Morse-The gentleman's statement
is entirely false
Mr.. Fithian-If the gentleman denies the
statement 1 will produce a member of this
House who will corroborate me. My COL
league. Mr.. Goldzer. heard the conversa-
ton.
Mr.. Morse replied that the gentleman's
statement had a color OF truth 0aughter),
but the construction he put on the CONVEX
sation was an absolute and unqualified
falsehood.
Mr.. Ffthian-Did you not ask me whether
l wanted any public buildings in my dis
trict?
Mr.. Morse-No, sir: that is not true and
you know it is not truel
Mr.. Fithian-If the gentleman means to
intimate that ! am telling a falsehood he
is willfully lying himself.
Mr.. Hopkins Ull) thought that this kind
of talk should stop, and he demanded the
regular order.
Mr. Flynn (Okla) called up the resolu-
ton calling on the War Department for
Information as to the instructions given to
United States troops on the Cherokee strip.
In the morning hour Mr.. McRae ARK }
called up and the House passed a bill relat-
ing to the disqualification Of registers and
receivers of land offices.
1t dsqualiies a register or receiver from
determining any case in which he is inter-
eSted directly or indirectly. He shall re-
port this disqualification to the commits
sioner of the general land office, who shall
designate some other register to act.
Gen. Black on the Election Repeal.
The federal election repeal bill was then
taken up; and the House was addressed by
Mr.. Black Qll) He expressed his gratifi-
cation that there seemed to be a disposition
on both sides of the House to argue this
question calmly and quietly. He would not
discuss the constitutional question. Even
If it were true (Which he denied) that there
was constitutional power In the govern
ment to enact the system of laws which it
was now sought to repeal, it was none the
less true that for three-Quarters of a CEN
fury after the adoption of the federal Con.
stitution there had been no trace of such
laws, and there had been no instance Of the
exercise of such power by the federal gov
eminent. If there had been a time when
these laws were of USE the time FOR that
use had gone. What was the right and wise
thing to do now?
The country was not confronted with a
period OF violence. What the patriot dread
ed was the corruption Of the ind.yid IA 4
voter. What was needed was not the ire
vention of violence in PARKWAY places. bnt
the prevention of corruption in places nea >
by. What was needed was the protection Of
the ballot box against political Ignorance
The laws had been designed to intanyff,,
the race issue. They appealed to force .nI
not to reason. They were an obstr,c,,on
to progress and should be repealed.
At the conclusion Of Mr. Blacx's sna..A
Mr. Johnson QndD took the floor in onno.
sition to the bill. oPpo