Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-02-24

/
Dubois of Idaho. The omnibus public
building bill was passed and the post
office appropriation bill was considered
without final action.
| Tillman spoke for nearly two hours,
| principally in reply to Spooner, on the
Indianola, Miss, post Office case. He
said that if the policy of the admins
| tration in regard to the equality of the
negro was carried on and Booker
| Washington should be appointed to the
| cabinet he would vote for his confirma-
| tion He did not conclude his remarks
During the reading of Washington's
| address, Reed Smoot, senator-elect
| from Utah, entered the chamber and
| took a seat beside Kerns.
Rawlins' resolution calling on the
| secretary of war for information con-
corning courtmartial cases in the
| Philippines was favorably reported by
Lodge and adopted with an amend
| ment limiting the reply to summaries
| of the records and testimony. Another
amendment which was adopted ex-
cludes the case Of Major T. w. T. Wal
| ler
| Proctor reported the agricultural APP
preparation bill and gave notice that
| he would call it up at the first oppor-
| tunity.
Kerns, Utah, presented the creden-
| tials of Senator-elect Reed Smoot of
Utah, and they dere read. Smoot was
sitting in the rear of the chamber at
the time.
Burrows, Mich, said that protest
had been filed with his committee
against Shoots admission. The Gre
dentials and protest We're filed.
Quay sought to secure vote on the
statehood bill on Thursday, Feb. 26.
Kean objected remarking that he hoped
he would be permitted to conclude his
remarks began several days since.
A House resolution was agreed to
providing for the erection in Washing
ton, d. c., Of bronze equestrian statues
eff Count Pulaski and Baron Steuben
of the Continental army and appropri
ating $4,000 for each.
Mason then called up the post office
appropriation bill. 1t formal reading
was dispensed with and the bill was
read for amendment. The statehood
amendment was passed over for the
time being. Mason yielded to Fair
banks who presented an omnibus public
building bill.
Daniel and Martin of Virginia, made
an earnest plea for an increased ap-
preparation for building at Ports
mouth, Va.
On a yea and nay vote the amend
ment was lost, 20 to "a. The other
amendments were voted down and the
bill was passed.
Consideration of the post Office APP
preparation bill then was resumed. An
amendment was offered by Fairbanks
appropriating $4,000 for experimental
rural telephone free delivery. After
considerable discussion it went out on
a point of order by Pettus.
Tillman. who had been standing II,
the aisle endeavoring to get recognition
to speak regarding the Indianola, Miss
post office case, inquired what was up
if the post office appropriation bill
went over. Injecting some humor into
the proceedings the President pro tenn
replied that he understood the senator
from South Carolina was coming up on
his feet at which the Senate was con-
vulsed.
Tillman then said he proposed to
surprise his friends and astonish his
enemies. if he has any, by being very
mild and temperate in what he would
say.
II we had known at the beginning of
the Civil war;" said he. what we
know now, there would have been no
war" He inquired why the large ma
iority of law abiding citizens of In
dianola should be punished because
there was a small lawless and brutal
element. 1t was contrary, he said, to
the fundamental principles of Anglo
Saxon jurisprudence. Replying to some
remarks made by Spooner in his speech
Tillman said: 1T is not in the dream
Of the widest ass that roams over the
Southern states with wax skin on
him that the federal government is not
supreme" but he said there We're some
cognate propositions which have been
ignored.
He said that in the South the people |
have a constant reminder that their |
ancestors IS years ago were conquered. |
I'VE are perpetually reminded" he |
said. accentuating his words, that we |
are in the Union but not of it except |
The poison in the race condition in |
the South. he declared, lay in the ref |
cree system which had been adopted. |
The balance of power, he said, in ma /
tional Republican conventions was held |
by the machine of the South and that 1
machine was composed of negroes. 4
When the people Of the South. said he,
lose patience and do "cruel, bitter. II
a
there is a howl from men who know \
nothing and who have never been Il
south of the Potomac. but who have
theorized."
Continuing and addressing the Re-
publican side. he said that if this pol Il
icy of negro equality is carried out and
if some of them could be placed in the
cabinet. he would vote for them.
II will vote to confirm Booker Wash
ington as secretary of anything Let
(Continued on page 81