The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1902-04-12

iOou suffrage, they had a right to
ueIhand to know that similar votes had
Deeh cast in Mississippi. He declared
tnat the registration boards in Missis-
slppl We're selected practically from one
party and for one particular purpose
to prevent the negro from voting. The
negro, he asserted, never could salts
ty the registration boards that they
were qualified to vote.
That was the kind of popular vote
he said, by which United States SEN
ators would be sent here from Missis-
sippi, and those methods would serve
only to precipitate agitation in the
Senate chamber. If, he said, a change
was to be made in the method of elect
ing senators, then the electorate must
be kept entirely pure and free from
any suggestions of unfairness.
Would Be Republican Senator's.
He declared that if there were man.
hood suffrage in Virginia, Kentucky
and North Carolina there would be
Republican senators in this chamber
from those states. He said there had
been no fear of negro domination in
North Carolina, yet for the purpose of
keeping Senator Pritchard, a Republi-
can, out of the Senate and to secure a
Democratic senator in the place of Mr..
Butler, Populist, and for no other rea-
sons, the grandfather clause was in
serted 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 governorship. AS to Mississippi
he charged that the board of registra-
tion in Mississippi 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 $4,000 votes in
Mississippi should count for as much
as 100000 votes in New York.
MR. Pepew pointed out that in the
lis years the constitution had been in
force no amendment affecting the ex-
ecutive or the legislative functions had
been adopted. Amendments that had
been adopted related only to details.
Referring, in conclusion, to an in
timation that the people of New York
were dominated by corporations and
trusts, Mr.. Depew declared that, un-
der the law, people of New York could
deal with trusts according to their own
desire. No charge had been made, he
said, from any source, that the trusts
dominated political affairs in New
York. The Legislature was composed
of representatives of the people, and
they did the peoples will as to trusts
and as to other things.
Democrats Correct Depew.
At the conclusion of Mr.. Depew's re-
marks, Mr.. Money corrected what he
termed some of the misstatements of
the New York senator regarding the
election laws of Mississippi.
Mr.. McLaurin of Mississippi read at
length paragraphs from the constitu-
ton of Mississippi and he pointed out
that it contained no grandfather
clause.
Mr.. Simmons of North Carolina, not
having heard Mr. Depew's remarks
about his state, said he desired simply
to say that, if reported accurately
Mr.. Depew was mistaken as
to his facts.
Mr.. Simmons insisted that the state
ments attributed to Mr.. Depew were
inaccurate and unwaranted, as the
new constitution of North Carolina had
not yet gone into effect.
Some remarks which had been made
by Mr.. Depew concerning elections in
Kentucky drew the fire of Mr.. Black
burn. who likened the New York sena-
tor to the animal who is used as
smile when disporting himself in
China shop.
Depew had left the chamber, Mr..
Blackburn declared that he had left
the chamber in the midst of replies to
his remarks. TT is his business to be
here" said he, eff he is to travel
controversy which he invited.
Blackburn Goes for Depew.
He read from the stenographic report
of Mr.. Depews remarks about Ken
rnd n
offer a, premium to anybody who would
find a solitary statement with refer
ence to Kentucky in the senator
speech which was true.
Mr.. Blackburn entered upon an elab-
crate discussion of the elections and
election laws of Kentucky in the
course of which he maintained that the
Goehel election law had been sustained
nv the Supreme Court of Kentucky and
he was willing to stand on that judg-
ment. He said he would not
undertake to learn this law at
the hands of worthy, dls-
tineuished and conspicuous corpora
tion and railroad attorney" NOBODY ne
said. had maintained that the Cooper
election law was unjust or unfair. NO
returning board in Kentucky MAD ever
held that Taylor had been elected Gov
of Mr.. Depew were based upon an en-
fire nisapprehension of the facts.
In conclusion Mr.. Blackburn said,
sarcastically, that he would suggest
manner in which the New YORK sena-
TOR might be appeased. If the amend
ment was adopted New York might be
exce;ted. and then the railroads OF
that state and especially the New
York Central railroad need not be de-
nrived of representation in the SEN
ate.
In a brief general reply to the crit
icisms made of him, Mr.. DepeW SAID
he thought there ought to be federal
election law, uniform in its application
TO all states, so that the people could
have assurance that all senators were
elected by a fair and impartial vote.
Mr.. Depew said he was proud of his
connection with the railroad interests
of the country-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
of New York state, but when his pres
emit term should expire, he would have
reached a period in life when it was
exceedingly doubtful whether he would
care to return to the Senate.
To Vote on Chinese Exclusion.
When the Chinese exclusion bill was
taken UP an agreement was reached
that a vote should be taken on it next
Wednesday at l o'clock.
Mr.. Teller of Colorado supported
the measure in a brief speech, main
tanning that it was necessary, and that
ii was not in contravention or our
4..on IL nhliera finraS wit b China.