Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1897-01-20
CONTEST BOND BILL SCORED.


Some Bitter Speeches Made in The Senate
Thursday.
The Contest Bond Bill came up in
the Senate Thursday morning, and
there was a repetition of the flood of
speeches made in the House upon this
measur yesterday, The Republicans
had the first three rounds, and then
Mr.. Claiborne, one OF the Democratic
leaders, secured the floor and started a
speech in favor of the passage of the
bill.
When the bill came up Mr. Houk in.
troduced an amendment to include the
contestee, Mr.. Taylor, also and require
him to give a S!0,0 900 bond. This was
laid on the table by q strictly party
vote.
Mr.. Upton introduced q bill to make
it unlawful for any Republican to run
for Governor in Tennessee, or to make
presumptions. This was ruled out of
order by Speaker Thompson.
Mr.. Fitzgerald, Republican, moved
to amend by making the bond $3.50 0
instead of $4,000,
Mr.. Waddell, Democrat, moved to
roy thO ihOtiOh vi VII itARtIulu Ou lu6
table. The motion of Mr.. Waddell
was carried.
Speaker Thompson then said the
question was upon the passage of the
bill, and the speaking began. Mr..
Fitzgerald was at once upon his feet
and began a speech against the bill.
He said if the Legislature should re-
peal the contest law it would be a more
fair and more honorable method than
passing the bond bill. He quoted from
the Memphis Scimitar; a Democratic
paper, he said, which asked why didn't
the Legislature just fine Mr.. Tillman
S25, 900 and be done with it.
II want to ask the gentleman if he
calls the Scimitar a Democratic paper.
We don I SO understand itin Memphis"
interrupted Mr.. Canada.
II say that the Scimitar is an indie.
pendent Democratic paper" replied
Mr.. Fitzgerald.
ut supported Mckinley, and more
than that supported Mr.. Tillman, "said
Mr.. Canada.
Mr.. Fitzgerald then said he would
quote from papers which no one would
deny were Democratic. These papers
denounced the bond bill as a partisan
scheme. He quoted editorials from the
Courier-Journal and the Knoxville
Sentinel.
Mr.. Canada then asked if he called
the Courier-Journal a Democratic pa.
per.
Mr.. Fitzgerald in reply asked If Mr..
Canada doubted the Democracy of
Henry Watterson.
Mr.. Canada considered no paper q
Democratic paper which did not sup.
port all the Democratic nominees. He
did not consider the Commercial APP
peal, of his city, from which Mr..
Fitzgerald quoted an editorial denoun.
cling the Democratic bond bill, a true
Democratic newspaper.
"I1l ask the gentleman if he didn't
support Col. Patterson down in Mem
phis," said Mr.. Fitzgerald.
Mr.. Fitzgerald then wento on to quote
from the Chattanooga Times and other
papers. He then said he was in favor
of giving Mr.. Robert L. Taylor a chance
to establish the charges he had made
against the people of East Tennessee.
He said that the present contest law
was put on the statute of this State for
partisan purposes. He believed that
the bond bill was simply to prevent a
contest. 1t certainly seemed 80. Mr..
Tillman vas placed at the mercy OF
party in power. In reply to a question
by Mr.. Canada, Mr.. Fitzgerald said he
had not advocated such a bond two
years ago. Not only had he not advo.
Gated such a bond but he introduced a
resolution for the State to pay the ex.
penses of the investigation.
Mr.. Upton, the Cleveland Senator,
rose to speak against the bill after Mr.
Fitzgerald finished.
II do not think Mr.. Tillman is an
idiot, and no body but an idiot would
put up $25, 900 subject to the disposition
of a Democratic caucus, The said. This
bond hill has been passed by the Dem
ocratic caucus and though there were
Senators who stood up in that caucus
and spoke against it, they come here
and bow to the law of that caucus.
Before I would do that Mr.. Speaker l
would resign my seat and 60 home.
Now, l know what | might say will
not do any good. This rule of caucu
will go through, because the caucus said
it would. But, Mr.. Speaker, l will
put myself on record as against this
bill.
Mr.. Upton said that the Democrats
were afraid of a contest and the bill
was introduced to get around the con-
test. He thought, inasmuch as Mr..
Taylor had discovered a lot of 10 year
old boys who had been allowed to vote
against him he should be allowed to
show them up.
Mr.. Keeney next spok Ike against the
bill. He asked why some of the Demo
Gratis didn't come out and speak in
favor of the bill. His speech brough hi
out a talk from Mr.. Claiborne, of Hay
wood, for the bill.
Mr.. Claiborne began a speech in
which he attacked the Republican par
ty, saying it had fulfilled its mission
in this country. He said the bill II
make Mr.. Tillman give a bond to SO
cnre the contest was born of necessity
He was still speaking when there came
a motion to adjourn until the after
noon, as it was then 1890 and the mo-
finn was carried.