The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-01-25
SET ON BY SPOONER
M'LAURIN DEFENDED THE PEOPLE
OF INDIANOLA.
IN DEFENDING THE PRESIDENT
SPOONER HAD ATTACKED M'LAU-
RIMS CONSTITUENTS.

in Condemnation of the Act of the
People of IndinnOIa in Seeking to
Get Minnie Cox, the Negro Post
master, to Resign McLaurin
ThercupOn Spoke as He Had Not
Before.
Washington, Jan. 24-Constructively
the statehood bill was to-day, as us
ual, before the Senate, but as a mat
ter of fact the admission of the terri
tories was scarcely mentioned In the
course of the days proceedings.
Early in the afternoon Senator
Spooner of Wisconsin took the floor to
discuss the Presidents action in dis
continuing the postoflice at Indianola,
Miss, and refusing to receive the res
ignation of the negro postmaster, Min
ME Cox. He defended the President,
and was responded to by Senator Nc
Laurin, who said there had been no
threats against the Cox woman, but
who admitted that she was objection
able because of her color.
Senator Spooner said he had no
rim, whose remarks had been respectful
and well tempered. but that he APP
peared to justify the attitude of the
Postmaster General and the President.
He argued that there was not in Sec
rotary Cortelyou's announcement of
the Presidents attitude on the case
anything to justify the inference of
Senator McLaurin that it was intend
ed to denounce the entire population
OF Indianola as lawless and brutal.
mo man is less likely than the Pres
ident to enter upon such a wholesale
condemnation of the people of In
dianola," he asserted.
Minnie COxs Rights.
Senator Spooner said that the Presl-
dents action had been caused by the
course of the minority in the vicinity
of the postoffice Minnie Cox, he de-
clared, had as much right under the
constitution and the laws to hold her
| office without restraint and duress as
| has any member of the Senate to hold
his seat in the Senate chamber
Detailing the proceedings at the mass
meeting, at which the postmaster
Il -
| Spooner said the circumstances were
| such as to convince any one that she
| was not a free agent in the matter
| "When before" he asked, has it beer
| left to a local mass meeting to accept
the resignation of federal officehold.
| err and fix the time within which II
should take effect?" Whether this
course on the part of the meeting had
| indicated the presence of a 'lawless
and brutal element, depended, he said
on the point of view. He said the
sheriff of the county was among the
| participants in the meeting.
Replying to Senator Tillman, Sena-
| tor Spooner said that the sheriff is
the conservator of the peace-ur
! North"
To this Senator Tillman responded
| that he had not observed that general
| ly sheriffs devote themselves to the
duty Of acting as bodyguards for the
| people.
Proceeding, Senator Spooner said tn,
| sheriff had not denied the statemen
| credited to him. He again referred t
| the sheriffs participation in the mas
| meeting and asked whether Minnit
| Cox would have resigned of her owl
free will but for the pressure thu
| brought upon her. The woman's com
| pliance with the request for her resig
|
| fear, of supplication to what she con
sidered superior power.
HIS Sympathy f6r the south.
He appreciated, he said, the delicac,
| of the situation of the people of tn,
South and sympathized with them il
| their difficulties. 1t must, however, HI
declared, be borne in mind that in thi,
case the objection was to a woman anC
to a woman of good character. Thu
! fact of her sex, he asserted, went fal
toward justifying the charge that th'
conduct of the meeting was brutal, "aG
had been indicated In Mr.. Cortelyou'i
note"
Senator Spooner read a letter to the
| postoffice inspector from Congressman
| elect Humphrey bearing upon the In
dianola case, in which he stated thai
"a majority of the people of Indianola
| ity in insisting upon Minnie Coxs res
! ignation." This statement, he said
confirmed the charge of undue pres.
sure and of Iawlessness.
Proceeding, Senator Spooner said the
| President knew that Minnie Cox die
| not wish to resign, and had according.
| ly refused to have the office vacated
| The people themselves, to all intents
and purposes, he asserted, had CLOSED
| the office. In pursuing the course he
did. the President had acted upon &
principle vital to the strength and vi
| rility of the preservation of the gov
eminent, namely that the Federal gov
eminent shall be allowed to conduct It'll
own affairs without regard to loca
| pressure. The maintenance of thi.
| principle, he said, was essential, ant
he declared that the President had act
| ed upon this principle in refusing t
accept the resignation.
Read Correspondence.
Senator Spooner read two letters from
! A. 3. Weeks, one of which caused con
| siderable amusement as Weeks was
candidate for the Office. He also reaC
| a letter from Mayor j. L. Davis of In
| dianola, who wrote the inspector tina
| he thought the best way out was 70
| Minnie Cox to resign, adding that h
wanted no unpleasant affairs to dea
with as Mayor. The Mayor was a part
ner and brother-in-law of Weeks.
He also read a portion of the repor
| of Inspector Fitzgerald, detailing al
interview with the sheriff and Mayor
| The former acknowledged that he hac
| been correctly reported in the inspect
or's report concerning the postoffice af
fair.
Senator Spooner, reverting to tn,
President, said he hoped he wouIc
continue his course until the peopl,
Of Indianoia regain their reason"
The war, he said, was fought upoi
the principle Of the right Of the Fed
eral government to control its affair
everywhere without the consent Of tn,
states.
spOoner Was Not Justified.
Senator McLaurin Of Mississippi SAT-