The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1902-04-15

2" NAAN NAS 1L4Oal
boards in Mississippi were selected
practically from one party and for one
particular purpose, VIZ: 10 prevent
the negro from voting. The negro, he
asserted, never could satisfy the regis
tratiCn boards that they were qualified
to vote. That was the kind of popular
vote, said he. by which a United States
senator would be sent here from Nissis-
sippi and those methods would serve
only to precipitate agitation IN the sem
ate chamber. II, he suggested. a change
was to be made in the method OF elect
ng senators, then the electorate must
be kept entirely pure and free from any
suggestion of unfairness
Senator Depew declared that IL there
were manhood suffrage in Virginia,
Kentucky and North Carolina there
would be republican alto IN his
! from those states. He said
there a feen no fear of negro domi-
I nation in North Carolina, yet for the
purpose OF keeping Senator Pritchard.
republican, out OF the senate and to Sc
cure a democratic senator IN the Mace
Of Senator Butler. populist. and for no
other reasons. the grandfather clause
was inserted in the new constitution Of
that state. He sharply criticised the
Goebel election law in Kentucky by
which he said Mr.. Taylor was deprived
OF the gOvernOrsh'p. AS to Mississippi,
he asserted that the boards of registra-
ton in Mississinpi determined the re-
suit of any election before the vote was
cast. Personally. he did not believe.
and other republican senators did not
believe, that $1,000 votes in Mississippi
should count for as much as 1.50G. coo
votes in New York.
Senator Depew pointed out that in
the lis years the constitution had been
in force no amendment affecting the
executive or thu legislative functions
I bod hnan ndnnLn6 amendments that
had been adopted related only to de-
tails.
Referring, in conclusion. to an init
nation tina the people Of New York
were dominated by corporations, and
trusts, Senator Depew declared that,
under the law people of New York
could deal with trusts according to their
own desire. M charge had been made,
he said, from any source that the
trusts dominated political affairs in
New York. The legislature was COM
posed of representatives of the people
and they did they peoples will as to
trusts and as co other things.
At the conclusion of Senator Depew's
remarks, Senator Money corrected
what he termed ''some miSstatements"
of the New York senator regarding the
election laws Of Mississippi.
Senator McLaurin, of Mississippi,
ISdu dl ICIlSlh pdI az pio 1iOih liz
constitution of Mississippi and he
pointed out that it contained no
grandfather clause"
Senator Simmons, of North Carolina,
not having herd Senator Depew's re-
marks about his state. said he desired
simply to say that, if reported &C
curately Senator Depew was mistaken
as to his facts.
Senator Simmons insisted that the
statements attributed to Senate De-
pew were inaccurat and unwarranted,
as the new constitution of North Caro-
lima had not yet gone into effect.
Some remark which had been made
by Senator Depew concerning elections
in Kentucky, drew the fire of Senator
Blackburn, who likened the New York
senator to the animal who is used as a
simile when disporting himself in a
china shop.
Referring to a suggestion that Sena-
tor Depew had left the chamber, Sem
ator Blackburn declared that he had
left the chamber in the midst of re-
piles tn his remarks. 1T is his bust
ness to be here said he, eff he is to
| defend a controversy which he invited"
He read from the st~enographic report
of Senator Depew's remarks about
Kentucky elections and declared he
would offer a premium to anybody who
would find a solitary statement with
' reference 10 henlUChS III the SeudlOI -
speech which was true
Senator Blackburn entered upon an
elaborate discussion of the elections
and election laws of Kentucky in the
course of which he maintained that the
Goebel election law had been sustained
by the supreme court of Kentucky n
he was willing to stand on that judg-
ment. He said he would not undertake
to learn his law "at the hands OF p
uyorfh1y Jictin pn,cho1 onI onncpior,nI1c
corporation and railroad attorney"
Nobody. he said, maintained that the
GOebel lection law was unjust or un-
fair. He said hat no returning board
in Kentucky ever had held that Taylor
had been elected governor over 60
and hat the statements Of Senator De-
pew were baSeG upon an entire mis-
apprehension Of the facts.
In conclusion. Senator Blackburn
said. sarcasticaliy, that he would sug-
gest a manner N which the New York
senator might be excepted and then
the railroads of that state n eSpe-
cially the New York Central railroad
need not be deprived OF representation
il the senate.
In a brief general reply to the criti-
ciSms made of him Senator Depew said
he thought there ought to be a federal
election law, uniform in it's application
~ Ill SNotSS. ~ AikoI tAE1 bCopIC SodisA
have assurance that all senator's were
elected by a fair and impartial vote.
Senator Depew sal he was proud of
his connection with the railroad inter-
estS of the CCuntry-a connection
which, with one million of associates
he had always considered honorable
He said he was quite ready to submit
his claims to a seat in the senate to
the electorate % New York state. bur
when his present term should expire
he would have reached a period in life
when it was exceedingly doubtful
whether he would care to return TO t,.e
Snate.
House OF ReDr esentntives.
Debate upon Cuban reciprocity con-
tinued in the house today, the principal
speeches being made by Mr.. Long, OF
Kansas. a member of the ways and
means committee. who from the frst
ardently supported the proposition fol
reciprocity and who originally favored
a reduction of 40 per cent. and by Mr.
r ShafrOfh Of CoIaralo r-h0 rirarnnSlx