Pawtucket tribune. (Pawtucket, R.I.) 1890-189?, 1894-01-25
ELECTION LAW REPEAL
Has an Opponent in Sen-
atOr Lodge.
IRON ORE TO REMAIN FREE.
The Internal Revenue Bill Is Now Re-
ceiving Consideration.

WASHINGTON, Jan. 25.-The vice presl-
dent laid before the senate a letter from
Mrs. Curtis, rendering 20 the senate
bust OF Charles Sumner, owned by her
late husband. Mrs. Curtis il the widow
of George William Curtis, and the bust
had been presented TO him by the com
monwealth Of Massachusetts,. The letter
was referred TO the committee on the
library.
The resolution reported from the COM
mittee on foreign relations against the
consideration. at present, OF any project
of annexation Of the Hawaiian Islands TO
the United States was laid before the sem
ate.
After some discussion the resolution
went over without action, and the unfn-
ished business was taken up, being the
house bill TO repeal the federal elections
law.
Mr.. Lodge addressed the senate In OPP
position TO the bill.
Lodges Address.
Mr.. Lodge reviewed the decisions OF the
supreme court regarding the unconsti-
tutionality OF the national elections law
and gave a history Of the origin of the
elections law, saying that IL grew out
Of certain gigantic frauds in New York
In 1870. He briefly quoted from the Of
fetal returns Of registration and balloting
on that occasion and analyzed the figures
TO show the Irregularities.
Mr.. Lodge cited number of instances
OF loose naturalization. some where the
papers had been left at the house OF the
immigrants after they had been but few
days In New York. He gave summar-
ized history OF the doings of John Y. Nc
Kane Of Gravesend, L. l., at the election.
and said that in national elections for con-
gressmen II becomes the duty of the
United States to protect its voters against
such crimes as those perpetrated at Graves
end. While such outrages as these are
possible in our northern cities, the voters
Of the United States have right TO de-
mand that the national power should be
exerted to prevent their occurrence at
congressional elections.
Southern Elections.
Touching upon the elections in the
south, Mr.. Lodge said: "In the south the
case is widely different, for there the sub
feet is complicated with race question
and with sentiments which are the evil
legacies OF slavery and civil war The fu-
ture of the negro race In the United States
Is one of the gravest problems to be met
by the American people. 1t is not prob.
lem which can be settled this year OF
next. The right solution Of the problem
Is a matter of vast Importance to the well
fare of the republic, and the burden Of it
rests upon us all alike.
"Thus the case stands today. The suf-
frage IL given 10 the negro with one hand
and taken away with the other. With
him we keep the word of promise to the
car and break 1t to the hope lie has
Just emerged from slavery. The United
States has no power to protect him, ex-
cept wnen he votes for congressman, and
In that vote he should have every pro-
lection, and not only the advantage Of
the law which II Is proposed TO repeal,
but far better laws.
II have tried to show that this law
should not be repealed, because citizens
OF the United States, entitled to it's pro-
lection, are either deprived of their right
to vote for congressman, or are threatened
with such deprivation.
Law Inadequate.
"No one doubts that the negro vote
whether Republican or Democratic, 1t
matters not-has been suppressed as such
throughout the south. When such facts
exist we should have proper elections
law.
"But the crowning defect OF this law
and of the efforts which have been made
to add to it, is not that 1t goes too
far, but that It Is Ill constructed and
does not go far enough. National cleo
tions-elections, that is, of congressman
are, by the constitution, wholly within
the power of congress. Congress should
exert that power. The United States has
no right to meddle in any way with state,
city or county elections, and in my theory
of the constitution the state should not be
permitted TO meddle in any way with
elections of members of the national
house.
"The present attempt Is an effort to in-
wade the domain of national authority, to
break down national power, to sweep
from the statute books any recognition Of
vatinnaI riuhts- On this ground oppose