New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-09-25
READY FOR THE STRUGGLE
FAIR ELECTIONS THE ISSUE.
BATTLE TO BE FOUGHT BEFORE THD
TUCKER BILL PASSES.
POINTS RAISED IN THE MINORITY REPORT
II SHOWS THAT THE Federal ELECTION LAWS
HAVE BEEN AFFIRMED BY THE SUPREME
COURT AS TO THEIR LEGALITY, AND
COMMENDED BY DEMOCRATIC
STATESMEN AS TO THEIR UTlL-
ITY-THE LAWS OF THE
SOUTHERN STATES.


SOUTHERN STATES.
Washington, Sept. 24.-The fight over tho
Tucker bill repeating the Federal Election laws
will be vigorous and determined contest. 10
what lengths of tyranny and audacity the Demo-
Gratis are prepared to 20 to secure quick Vo'0
on il was shown by the performances Of Speaker
Crisp and his partisan majority last week Hav-
ing adopted rules permitting dilatory motions. they
proceeded 10 disregard these rules, and reiused 10
entertain the motions which the rules allowed
or appeals from Crisps decisions so refusing In
other words, the Speaker simply stood up ana
said We did not adopt rules preventing oo-
struction, because to do would be to follow the
leadership of Thomas B. Reed somewhat too hum
by, and to go back on our records somewhat too
BADLY But we mean 10 stop obstruction Just the
same whenever it suits to do as. for instance
in the matter of this Tucker bill And we shall
do it in the simplest way possibe-by Just letting
the rules 90 hang, and by decisions from the
Speakers desk, sustained by our partisan quorum
forcing the Republicans back into their seats ~
fast they get upon their feet.
SPEAKER CRIsps COURSE.
That is what they did While the question was
before the House whether the Committee on kuies
should be allowed then to report its rule Drlng-
ing forward the Ticker bill, SPEAKER crisp TOOK
the question into his own hands, and decided
that the report was then before the House While
the question was pending when it should he read,
Mr. Crisp directed it to be read then and there and
although a score of lawful motions were made to
delay the reading, Mr. Crisp declared them all
ont of ORDER and refused 10 allow any appeal to tho
House from his decisions Such tyranny was in Curl
Gus contrast with the Speakers mild and most ordes
" behavior while the subject before the House was
a;I,. II
parties and factions TO get the Repeal bill voting
fixed The country was in the throes of CON-
mercal panic Gold was leaving New-York for
Europe AT the rate of six millions week. 1he
Treasury reserve was low and rapidly falling be-
yond the danger point. Mills were idle, factories
closed, mechanics walking the streets by tens OF
thousands, but Speaker Crisp, with half his party
in rebellion against its Administrators decree
that it must perform its pledge, and with his own
long fre,-coinage record staring him in the face,
could do nothing 10 eXpedit" repeal, TO stop tho
panic 10 restore business confidence, 10 reopen
the mills and factories until every step OF the
procedure had been definitely arranged IN the
conferences of the factions.
NO CONFERENCE NEEDED.
But he had power unlimited and resolution
| which not even his own code of rules could re-
strain or hinder where the matter TO be promotsd
was a piece of partisan politics. scheme 70
leave Southern gentlemen unveNed in their de-
termination TO hold the offices, whatever might
be the popular will No conferences arrange
ments were needed to supply him with authority
then He went about the execution of that
| scheme in a manner characteristic of 1t and ap-
propriate to it, 1t was scheme 10 render law
lessness safe and easy, and with lawes' force he
! pushed it forward H. "A scheme to suppress
the voice OF the people, and he began TO put II
| through by suppressrg the voice of Congress
II was n scheme to oblitemtc the laws to secure
fair and free voting, and he entered upon 1t ny
coolly trampng under foot the rules of Congress
10 secure fair and free discussion.
Something highly effective has been done.
however. toward expression Of the views OK
Republicans by the minority of the committee
on Elections The minority members are Mr..
Johnson of North Trkota: Mr.. IIaincr, Mr..
| Mcdowell Mr.. Northway and Mr.. Curtis, or
New-York, and their report. though hastily pre-
pared is full Of vigor and sound sense. IL re-
calls the significant fact that in their hurry the
majority members neither permitted evidence to
he taken before the committee rs to the opera
ton of the laws proposed 10 be repealed nor
allowed the minority to see the report in which
that proposition urged Everything ha-
been done under the whip and as II hnal action
were "A matter of the greatest urgency, albeit
more than "A year must pass before it could have
any application The grounds which repeal
is demanded icing thus kept secret the minority
can only surmise them or accept current rumOf.
| 1t is supposed they are the old Southern doctrine
of unconstitutionality, and the new Mugwuinp-
Tammany cry of ineApediency
WHAT THE STATUTES PROVIDE.
Having recited the statutes il full as they
stand having shown that there is absent from
them everything in the nature OF forcbe inter-
ference with the election, that they provide only
for non-partsan watch of the electoral process
and for the arrest and trial in the Federal courts
OF only such persons as are engaged In acts
which all admit 70 be criminal. having remarked
that all these laws have been in operation Tor
twenty years or more, have been administered ny
both the political parties and COMMENDED by the
leaders OF both. and that all the evldenc, exist
ing upon which to form Judgment OF their
utility goes to show that they highly useful
for the prevention and punishment OF electoral
wrong doing, the report proceeds to discuss tho
question of consttutionaliry 1t quotes. fol-
lows. the section of the Constitution from which
the authority for their passage drawn:
The times, places and manner OF holding elections for
Senators and Representatives shall be prescribed in
State by the Legislature thereof but the Congress may
any time by law make alter such regulations, cx'
cept a. places OF choosing senator's
The Madison papers are brought into requisition
to show that it the plain and undoubted pur-
pose of the makers of the Constitution TO repose
in Congress the ultimate and supreme authority
to direct and control Congressional elections, and
the view of that high Democratic authority. Mr..
George Tcknor Curtis, is cited, in whose Con-
stitutional History" the conclusion that
the text of the fundamental law, finally settled,
would seem to confer ION Congress- power
which, when exercised, must he paramount,
whether "a State regulation exists at the tine or
not