Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-01-26
MR.. McLAURIN REPLIES
RELIEVES PEOPLE OF INDIANoLA
IN THE Right.
Denies That Threats o., Personal VIC
lence Were Made Against POST
master Of the Place,

Senator McLaurin Of Mississippi replied
to the statement by Senator Spooner in the
Senate Saturday afternoon in relation to
the Indianola post Office case.
Mr.. McLaurin said he. had not in his
former speech discussed the propriery or
the improperly of the President in closing
the post office at Indianola, and he contend
ed that nothing that he had said had justi-
fled the remarks Of the senator from Wis
consin. He had not, when he first spoke,
believed that the people of Indianola had
earned the epithets OF lawless and brutal
which had been applied by the President 8
secretary, and he repeated It had not even
now been shown that the charge was justi-
fed.
On the contrary, he contended that the
best feeling exists between Mrs. Cox and
the people of Indianola, barring the preju-
dice of race. That this prejudice exists the
people had freely admitted, and there was
no disposition to deny it. ''It exists" he
said. throughout the south, aye" he add
ed, and throughout the north Also" The
people had exercised their right to petition
and had done no more, and he had never
before heard it argued in the Senate that
the people had not the right to assemble
and make known their wants In this ca Sc
the petitioners did not want Mrs. Cox as
postmaster, and had frankly said SO. More
over, 1t was their right to present this pc
tition to Mrs. Cox II they preferred to do
so, and there. was no ground for charges
on that account.
Mr. McLaurin stated that notwithstand-
ing three-fourths Of the people of Indian
ola are colored, f1ve-sixths of the mail re-
ceived at and sent from the post Office there
is to and from white people.
The Indianola. Meeting.
He read the petition to Mrs. Cox. contend
ing that the address was in every way re-
spectful. His information was that the
meeting at which the resignation had been
accepted had been attended by each Of the
eighty-f1ve white men in the town. Except
Mr.. A. B. Weeks. who had gone over to the
republicans in order to secure an office, as
is the case with most men who 20 into
that party. No doubt the people wanted
the woman out of office because Of her
color. but 1t did not follow that on that &C.
count they felt any hatred toward her on
account of color. The prejudice was due,
he said. to the inferiority Of the colored
race.
He contended that the charge made by
Mr.. Cortelyou had not been directed at a
minority of the people of Indianola but at
all of them, as all had participated in the
meeting.
The President had shown disposition to
shut his ears to the other side of the ques-
ton. 80,
Mr.. McLaurin said he ehad not seen all
the correspondence in the case; that he had
requested copies Of IT., but had been re-
fused by the Postmaster General and had
been referred to the President. When he
received note from the President he had
requestd to be shown all the papers, but
had not seen all the DOCUMENTS read by
Mr. Spooner before the Senate. He asserted
that there had been no threats Of personal
violence. land" he added, none can be
found unless 1t be found in the fertile
brains of the President. Postmaster Gen
eral and post Office inspectors" ,.,- go
Even granting there was intimidation,
was 1t not still the: duty of the President to
furnish the people the-best. possible postal
facilities. In directingi that, the Indianola
mail be supplied from Greenville the post
office authorities had placeds upon the peo-
pie Of 1ndianola an additional hardship.
Believe the People Did Right.
Mr. McLaurin said he,Slids not believe the
people of Indianola had done. wrong in try
ing to get rid of a postmaster Of an IN
ferior race, but right or wrong, they still
had the right to ask for relief. That they
had done, and only that, and only the ora
tory Of the senator from Wisconsin could
dstort that into an act of duress. In conclu-
sion. Mr.. McLaurin said he had no feeling
Of .enmity toward the colored people, but
that on the other hand he had always con-
tended for the protection of their rights.
When Mr.. McLaurin concluded, the pri-
vate pension calendar was taken up. After
the passage of number of pension bills
the Senate went into executive session, and
at 6:12 adjourned.