The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-01-25
Intimates That the People
There are Insane.
ACASEOF "ME UND GOTT"
The People Have No Rightto Petition, it WouIe
Appear From Spooner's Argument
Mclaurn Answers Him With
Some Plain Truths.
(By the Associated Press.)

Washington, Jan. 24.-Construdtively
the Statehood bill was today, as usual
before the Senate but as a matter of
fact the admission of the territories was
scarcely mentioned in the course of the
days proceedings. Early in the afternoon
Mr.. Spooner. of Wisconsin, took the floor
to discuss the Presidents action in dis
continuing the postoffice at Indianola,
Miss, and refusing to receive the resig-
nation of the negro postmaster-Mhts
Cox. He defended the President and
was responded to by Mr.. McLaurin. of
Mississippi, who said there had been no
THREATS against Mrs Cox, but who ad-
mtted that she was Objectionable be-
cause of her color
Mr.. Spooner said he had no criticism
to make of Mr. McLaurin whose remarks
had been respectful and we'll tempered
but that he appeared to justify the at
titude of the Postmaster General and
the President. He contended that there
was not in Secretary Cortelyou's an
nouncement of the Presidents attitude
i'll the case anything TO justify the in,
terence of Mr.. McLaurn that it was in
tended to denounce the entire popula :
tion of Indianola as lawless and brutal.
No man is less likely than the Presi-
dent to enter upon such wholesale con-
demnation of the people of Indianola. ;"
he said.
Mr.. Spooner said that the Presidents s
action had been caused by the course of
the minority in the vicinity of the post
office. Mrs. Cox Mr.. Spooner declared.
has as much right under the Constitution
and the laws to hold her office without
restraint and duress as has any mem
Der of the Senate to hold his seat in the
Senate chamber.
Detailing the proceedings at the mass
meeting at which Mrs. Cox's resignation
was requested, Mr.. Spooner said the cir
cumstanees were such as to convince
anyone that she was not a free agent in
the matter. when before" he asked.
''had it been left to a local mass meeting
to accept resignation of Federal office
holder and fix the time within which il
should take effect?' Whether this course
on the part of the r'"0''ng had indicated
the presence of a lavless and brutal ele-
nent depended, tho Senator said on the
point of view. He called attention to
the fact that the sheriff of the county
NdS dluOHS TIE III the meet
ing. eplying to Mr. Tillman Mr. Spooner
said THAT the sheriff is the conservator
oi the peace-ur North" To this Mr..
Tillman responded that he had not OBJ
served that generally sheriffs devote
themselves to tho duty of acting as body
guards for the people. Proceeding Mr..
Spconer said the sheriff had not denied
the statement credited to him. He again
tn chn
the mass meeting. and asked whether
Mrs. Cox would have resigned of her
own free will but for the pressure thus
brought upon her. The woman's com
pl.ance with the request for her resig-
ration was. he asserted, an attitude of
fear. of supplication to what she consd-
cred a superior power.
He appreciated icacy of the sit
uation of the people of the South. he
said. and sympathized with them in their
difficulties. 1t must. however. be borne
in mind that in this case the obiec-
tion was to a woman of good character
The fact of her sex, the Senator thought,
went far toward justifying the charges
that the conduct of the meeting was
brutal as had been indicated in Mr. Cor
telyou's note
Mr. Spooner read letter to the Post
office Inspector from Congressman-ele elect
Murphy Humphrey. bearing upon the
Indianola case, in which he stated that a
majority of the people of Indianola are
opposed to the course of the minority in
insisting upon Mrs. CoX's resignation.
This statement, he said confirmed the
charge of undue pressure and of lawless-
ness.
Preceding Mr. Snooner said the PreSi-
dent knew that Mrs. Cox did not wish
to resign and had accordingly refused
TO have the offices vacated The people
themselves. to all intents and purposes,
had closed the office. In pursuing the
course he did, the President had acted
upon principle vital to the strength and
virilitty of the preservation of the Gov
ernment. namely, that the Federal Gov
ernment shall be allowed to conduct it's
own anairs without regard to local pres
sure. The maintenance of this principle
NJ. Spooner said, was essential and de-
clared that the President had acted upon
this principle in refusing to accent Mrs
Cox's resignation.
Mr. Spooner read two letters from A
b. Weeks, one of which caused consider
able amusement as Weeks was a can
didate for the office. He also read a
letter from J. L. Davis, Mayor of In
dianola, who wrote the inspector that
he thought the best way out was tn
get Mrs. Cox to resign, that he wanted
mo unpleasant affairs to deal with as
mayor" The mayor was a partner and
brother in law of Weeks
He also read a portion of the report of
Inspector Fitzgerald, detailing an inter-