The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-02-08
FRAUD BILL PASSED
Now Ready for the Signature of
President Cleveland.
HOuse Bill Repeating the Federal Elec-
tiOn Laws Adopted by the Senate
by Vote of 80 to %.
ALL AMENDMENTS REJECTED
Democrats Assisted by Stewart,
Allen, Kyle and PETER.
No Supervisors or Deputy Marshals to
Be Permitted at the Polls and All
Bars to Crime Abolished.

WASHINGTON, Feb. THE bill repeal
ing in toto all federal laws regulating the
control of congressional elections has passed
both houses OF Congress and only awaits
the signature of President Cleveland to be-
come a law. After several weeks of dis
cussion the Senate to-day finally came TO
a vote on the House bill repeating the fed
eral election laws, and it passed by vote
OF 80 yeas to % nays. Numerous amend
ments were presented by the Republicans,
but they were voted down regularly and
methodically. the Democrats not even TAX
ing the trouble 10 join i'm the debate on the
amendatory propositions. Senator Stewart
voted with the Democrats on every propo-
sition, giving as his reasons that he thought
the power of the executive was already too
great and that the centralizing tendency
of the age should be checked at once if the
Republic is to survive. The three Populists
Senators Allen, Kyle and Peffer-also
voted with the Democrats on every amend
ment. as well as on the main bill. The
measure as 1t passed the Senate Is identi-
cal with the bill as 1t passed the House,
no committee amendments having been pro-
posed.
When the federal election repeal bill was
taken up this morning Senator Hoar took
the floor in opposition TO the measure. He
said he was one of the five Senator's now in
the chamber who voted for this law in 1871.
The law had been approved not only by the
Republican party but by IL large majority
of the American people. The Senator said
that the records in the archives of the
Capitol, making up the history of elections
in this country since 1885, show the blackest
and worst history of crime since the world
was created. when these reports are
read" said he, "blackening the fair name
of this country we must walk backward
with ayerted gaze and hide our faces i'm
shame. This is a question of whether the
supreme pearl and gem in the crown OF
American manhood should not have the
strongest force on the face OF the earth
for its defense"
GRAY AND HOAR.
Senator Gray, in replying TO Mr.. Hoar,
said these election laws had in every in
stance promoted and aggravated frauds
instead OF abating them.
In the course of a colloquy between SEN
ators Gray and Hoar the latter alluded
to the elections of 1876, when the elections
in New York were fair because of the
operation and effect of these very laws.
Senator Gray retorted by reading from the
report cited by Senator Hoar another ex-
tract alleging wholesale frauds in Philadel-
phia in the same year, when the entire
local and national governments were in
the hands of the Republicans
Senator Cameron interrupted, and, after
calling again for the reading of the pas
good deal of knowledge of the election of
1876 | was the Secretary of War, as the
Pennsylvania that year were as honest
elections as In any part of the world. They
have been and always will De. because. we
are honest people. There were some elections
in that year which were not honest, and
as Secretary of War, had to interfere.
become President of the United States
U-aughter.)
In opposing the bill Senator Allison said
he had examined the Democratic national
platform and had not found the demand
for the repeal of this law. which some
Senator Daniel, alluding to the Daven-
port discussion yesterday, presented the
published testimony of the committee on
Investigation, before which Davenport had
acknowledged, in answer to a question by
Senator or Hill, that he had received 5000
to be used in election prosecutions
After few remarks by Senator Chan
dler Senator Bate took the floor i'm favor
of the bill The argument of Senator Bate
was that the chief object of all the recon-
struction laws and Of the federal election
law as we'll was TO capture the electoral
votes OF the Southern States for the Re-
publican candidate for the presidency and
to secure Republican Senators and Repre-
sentatves In Congress. The scheme had
failed as all the other plots had failed.
because the alliance had deserted the Re
publican standard. The States should be
left free TO control their own elections.
This is the doctrine of home rule and home
rule is the only safety Of the Republic.
ALL AMENDMENTS DEFEATED
At the conclusion of Senator Bates re-
marks Senator Chandler presented an
amendment which provided that only so
much OF the existing election laws as pro-
vides for deputy marshals at elections shall
be repealed. The yeas and nays being de-
manded on Mr.. Chander's amendment. ii
was defeated by a vote of q to 40. Sen
| ator Stewart Republican, and Senators AL
| len, Kyle and Peffer Populists, voted with
| the Democrats.
Senator Chandler then presented an
amendment, the effect of which was TO ap-
| visors and deputy marshals, but TO leave
on the statute books the crimes section.
II hope this amendment will be satisfac-
tory TO the other side said Senator Chan
dler. by IL the various sections of the
| existing law providing for marshals and
| shall still have the crimes act, and crimes
/ against the suffrageS in connection with
| Congressional elections will still be punish
| able under United States statutes and In
| United States courts" Again the yeas and
nays were demanded, ana this amendment
| was defeated also. the vote being: Yeas
| "a: nays SO.
| Another amendment was presented by
| Mr. Chandler to restrict the scope of the
| repeal by retaining stlIi smaller number
| of the ''crimes" provisions, but IL, too
was rejected-yeas, 2s; nays. 80.
| THE CENTRAL PACIFIC.