The Indianapolis journal., 1903-01-25

until the people OF IndianoIa regains their
reason. The civil war. he said, was fought
upon the principle OF the right Of the
federal government TO control Its analrs
everywhere without the consent of the
States.
Mr.. McLaurin. of Mississippi. said he had
not In his former speech discussed the pro-
priety or the impropriety of the President
in closing the postoffice at Indianola. and
he contended that nothing he had said had
justified the remarks of the senator from
Wisconsin He had not, when he hrst
spoke, believed that the people OF indianola
had earned the epithets OF 'lawless ana
brutal" which had been applied by the
Presidents secretary, and h repeated that
IL had not even now been shown that the
charge was justified. On the contrary, ne
contended that the best feeling exists De-
tween Mrs. Cox and the people OF lndianoia,
barring the prejudice of race. That this
prejudice exists the people had freely ad-
mitted and there was no disposition to deny
IL. 1T exists" he said, Throughout the
South: aye" he added. 'and throughout the
North Also
DID NOT WANT MRS. cox.
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 as
semble and make known their wants. In
this case the petitioners did not want Mrs.
Cox as postmaster and had frankly said
so. Moreover. it was their right to pre-
sent this petition to Mrs. Cox If they pre-
ferred to do so and there was no ground
for charges on that account. Mr.. McLaur
in stated that Notwithstanding three
fourths of the people of Indianola are
colored, five-sixths OF the mail received at
and sent from the postoffice there is to and
from white people. He read the petition TO
Mrs Cox, contending that the address was
in every way respectful. His information
was that the meeting at which the resigna-
ian h.d -, f41 L.1 Had
by each of tie eighty-five white men in the
town except A b. Weeks, who had gone
over to the Republicans in order to secure
an office. as Is the case with most men who
wanted the woman out of office because of
her color, but IL did not follow that on that
account 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
the meeting. The President had shown a
disposition TO shut his ears to the other
side of the question.
Mr.. McLaurin said he had not seen all
the correspondence in the case; that he had
requested copies of II, but had been refused
by the postmaster general and had been re-
ferred to the President He asserted that
there there had been no threats of personal
violence, "and,' he added, none can be
found unless it be found i'm the fertile
brains of the President. postmaster general
and postoffice inspectors" Even granting
there was intimidation, was il not still the
duty of the President TO furnish the people
the best possible postal facilities. In direct
ing that the Indianola mail be supplied
from Greenville. the postoffice authorities
had placed upon the people of Indianola
an additional hardship.
Mr. McLaurin said he did not believe the
people of Indianola had done wrong in try
ing to get rid of a postmaster of an infer
ior race, but right or wrong, they still had
the right to ask for relief. Relief they had
asked for and only that, and only the ora
tory of the senator from Wisconsin could
distort that into an act of duress. In con-
clusion, Mr.. McLaurin said he had no feel
ing of enmity toward the colored people,
but that on the other hand he had always
contended for the protection of their rights.
When Mr.. McLaurin concluded, the pri-
vate pension calendar was taken up. After
| the passage of a number of pension bills
| the Senate went into executive session and
| at 6:12 ID. m. adjourned.