The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-12-13
FEDERAL ELECTION LAWS.
Senator CullOm Speaks Against the
Proposed Repeal.

He Declares That the Question
Brought Up by the Proposition Was
Settled by the War-References to
Politics in New York State Bring
Senator Hill to Eis Feet-Hoar's
Hawaiian Resolution Goes over.
Washington, Dec. 12.-Mr. Cullom indi-
Gated q desire to address the Senate this
morning on the bill to repeal the federal
election laws, but as the Hawaiian resolu-
tion, offered yesterday by Mr.. Hoar, and
a resolution offered yesterday by MIR.
PETER had precedence in the morning
hour, unanimous consent was given that
those resolutions should remain on the
table and should be presented at a later
hour to-day or tomorrow.
Mr. Cullom thereapon addressed the
Senate. He said no senator would fail to
perceive that the discussion brought SEN
ators back to the identical question which
his friends in the south had attempted to
settle at Fort Sumter in 1861 and which
reached a final settlement in 1865. 1t was
idle he said, for congress TO sit supinely
down, contented with the false theory
that the states had full control of the
franchise. That was a policy funda-
mentally wrong and indefensible, and
was in line with the arguments once used
in justification for the disruption of the
union. A national government which
had not the power within itself to pro-
tect its own membership and to have
some control over its elections was as
weak as water and could not very long
endure. If the existing federal election
laws were imperfect, or worked injustice,
they should be amended or modified, but
not swept from the statute book.
A CoLLoQUY WITH HILL.
An uncomplimentary reference to New
York state politics and to Judge Maynard
brought about sharp colloquy between
Messrs. Cullom and Hill, which was re-
newed later when Mr.. Cullom again
brought New York state politics and the
tariff into his speech Mr.. Cullom was
advised by Mr.. Hill not to lie awake at
night from any anxiety as to whether
the Democratic party proposed to carry
out its platform on the question of the
tariff. Il can assure the SENATOR Mr.
Hill continued, that the party does In
tend to carry it out faithfully, honestly
and impartially."
Mr.. Cullom, in conclusion of a general
arraignment of the democratic policy,
said that in addition to tearing down the
American flag and the pension policy, the
national banking system was to be also
torn down. What, in Gods name, Mr.
Cullom asked, would be left in the United
States worth living for, If, after the other
cyclones had done their worst, the c0un-
try was to be put once again at the mercy
of a multitude of state banking systems,
as it was prior to the ware He entrehted
the serious thinking men of the deinoc-
racy to call halt in the wild campaign
of error, and to cause their reckless fol-
lowers to keep their hands from despoil-
ing the work which had stood the test of
time, and which bore the stamp of value.
HOAR's RESOLUTION GOES OVER
At the close of Mr.. Cullom's speech, at
l 80 o'clock, the presiding officer laid the
Hoar Hawaiian resolution before the Sen
ate, but at the suggestion of Mr.. Mander-
son it went over till tomorrow. Before
that action was taken, however, Mr..
Hoar said that a suggestion had been
made to him by the senator from Della
ware, Mr.. Gray, to let the resolution be
referred to the committee on foreign rela-
tions. Mr.. Hoar had no objection to the
resolution taking that course, as it was
quite possible that the Presidents answer
to the resolution already agreed to, would
bring the answer to the pending resolu-
tion.
Mr.. Stewart then addressed the Senate
in favor of the repeal of the federal cleo
tiOn laws. He soon diYerged into a long
dissertation on the question of gold and
silver. He did not have many senators to
listen to him, and that fact stirred up Mr..
PETER to call attention to it. Upon call of
the Senate forty-eight senators answered,
and Mr.. Stewart went on and finished his
remarks.
A futile attempt was then made to dis.
pose of some business on the calendar
The first bill reached was the one in ref
erence to the famous McGarraghan
claim, but as Mr.. Teller, who reported it
and has special charge of it. has not been
present yet this session, the bill was
passed over informally, and the Senate
proceeded to executive business, and at
$3.50 o'clock adjourned until tomorrow.
WORK OF THE HOUSE.