The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-02-07
He Says Mckinley Won't he Inaugu-
rated Unless the Electoral Vote of
His State Ii Counted.
VIEWS OF SENATOR HOAR
ON THE OBJECTIONS RAISED BY
REPRESENTATIVE MURRAY.
No Trouble Apprehended When the
Vote Is Counted by COngress-PrO-
ceedings of Senate and House.



WASHINGTON, Feb. 6.-Senator Tillman
is out i'm an interview that would be very
sensational If there was any force or pop
ular sentiment behind him. He seizes upon
a proposition made by Murray the South
Carolina colored congress man. to file pro-
test against the counting of the electoral
vote of that State for Bryan next Wednes-
day, to rage, foam at the mouth, and shrek
threats that if South Carolina is wronged
Mckinley will not be inaugurated. How he
proposes TO prevent the Inauguration of
Major Mckinley he does not specify. but he
declares he will turn the Canton gentleman
down. He does not propose to secede. but
probably designs moving South Carolina
into the District of Columbia. Kentucky's
hundred thousand unarmed heroes won't
be in IL with Tilman's pitchfork army
The senator asserted to-day that the opposi-
tion to counting the vote of South Carolina
had behind it a scheme to reduce Southern
representation I'm Congress and IN the Elec-
toral College.
Representative Murray. who is charged
with the intention of making the objection
to which Senator Tillman alludes. has a
petition from the Republicans of South Car
olina asking Congress TO throw out the vote
of that State on the ground of frauds in
the presidential election and on the aliega-
tion that provisions of the State Constitu-
tion are illegal. The assertion that Mr.
Murray would contest the vote was a sur
prise to the members of the House. even
the prominent leaders on the Republican
side processing complete ignorance of such
Il move as was suggested. 1t was pointed
out by leading members of the House that
any protest made by Mr.. Murray. even if
supported by a senator. .ucn grounds,
must necessarily prove abortlve and be
nothing more than o stage performance.
because no contest has come Up from South
Carolina. There are not TWO sets IF re-
turns. as there were IN the Hayes-Tildcn
contest of 1876 when there were double Ie-
turns from Florida, Louisiana and South
Carolina. The lack of a contest from the
State of South Carolina, Mr.. Hopkins. of
Illinois. said, made a deadlock impossible,
because the act of 1887 is mandatory in di-
recting that the vote of the States properly
certified shall not be re Jected.
Representative Mccall. of Massachusetts,
the chairman of the House elections COM
mittee. which had charge of the contests
from South Carolina in this Congress- ex-
pressed surprise at Mr.. Murray's plan. He
said: 1T hardly seems probable that the
1tepuDllcanS would care 10 delay throw
any complications in tie way of counting
an electoral vote which is to result in the
election of the Republican candidates. 1
doubt whether the party will sustain Mr..
Murray if his protest is possible"
Representative Strait, of South Carolina,
said: Il have expected that the Republicans
of South Carolina might try TO bring their
protest, which the State Board of Canvass
feet can be to delay the election of McKin-
ley If the Senate cares to carry PARTISAN
ship to that point it might delay the count
beyond the 4th of March and make Olney
President for four years. But the whole
thing seems ridiculous to me-
Senator Hoar. chairman of the Senate
committee on the judiciary. was asked to-
day to express an opinion on the question.
He said: 1.-The whole matter is covered by
the act of Feb. g. 1857, which prescribes very
clearly the method of proceeding in case OBJ
lection is made to the counting of the vote
of any particular State. The law provides
for objections. but it requires that all objec-
tions shall be in writing. clearly setting
forth their object and without argument and
that they shall be signed by at least one
senator as well as at least one representa-
tive; and it is further provided that no re-
turn shall be rejected from any State un-
less there is more than one returned, and
when there is more than one ii is directed
that those only shall be counted which have
been regularly given by the electors who
shall have been chosen according to law
Each State provides 1T own tribunal for de-
termining the result of its election for pres
idential electors and when this tribunal has
made it's return the Governor is required TO
certify the result of this action. The Vice
President lays all the papers before the
joint assembly.
I'm case any objection is made which
renders il necessary for the houses to sep
arate to pass on the question involved the
determination of the matter must rest on
the judgment of the returning board of the
State. We could not go into the legality
of the elections in the various States nor
attempt TO determine the legality of the
returning board of any of them. All that
was settled by the Electoral Commission,
and is now found in the statutes"
The senator expressed the opinion that If
put TO a test the law would be found ad-
equate and that "all would work out
right" He declined 10 express in more di-
rect terms his opinion as to the policy of
making such objection as Mr.. Murray is
said TO contemplate.
Representative Murray has been appealed
to by his associates in the House not to ex-
ecute his programme of protesting South
Cardinals electoral vote. and IL is likely
that he will abide by their advice. The
programme of the South Carolina members
il is stated, was not unknown to the DEM
ocratic members here.