The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1904-12-09
SENATOR CARMACK
is AGGRESSIVE.
Introduces Measures For Bribery
Investigation and Discusses
Piatt's Views

Senator Carmack has introduced q
measure calling for an inquiry into
the bribsry practiced during presi.
Dental campaigns.
In discussing the Platt bill, Mr..
Carmack said:
! There are two or three remarkable
things about Mr.. Platt's bill In the
first place. il proposes an Arbitrary
reduction of representation in the
Southern States alone. The bill is
based on the Fourteenth Amendment
TO the Constitution which provides for
n reduction in case of abIldgement Of
the right to vote in the proportion the
number of such DISTINGUISHED citizens
bears to the whole number of citizens.
There has been no pretense of inves-
CATION, Official OF otherwise. to de-
teImine the extent to which the laws
of the various Southern States have
operated to disfranchise citizens. In
Mississippi, for instance, man may
vote If he can read clause of the
Constitution OF explain IT when it is
read to him. How has MI. Platt ar
rived at the exact number of people
in Mississippi who can neither read nor
explain a clause of the Con stitutlon?
ANOTHER PECULIAR HING.
Another peculiar thing IN this bill
Is that in Its preamble it assumes that
the DISTINGUISHING acts are in violation
of the Fifteenth Amendment to the
Constitution. If so, they are utterly
void and the proper remedy, and the
only one under our form of Govern.
ment. is to have them declared void by
the courts. Congress has no power or
authority to defeat or remedy an I'M
constitutional law. If it is unconsti-
tutional it is not law at all. but the
courts alone have the power and
authority to decide whether it is or is
not unconstitutional.
: In speaking of his own measure on
the subject of impurities in the con-
duct of Presidential campaigns. the
Senator said:
Il propose thorough investigation |
of bribery and corruption In Presi-
Dental elections which; | think. is
doing more than anything else to |
destroy institutions OF free govern
ment. | am growing very tired of
seeing PuIitans and Pharisees com
for sins they are inclined to
by denouncing those they had no
chance to commit. / have seen in
leading Republican papers in Pblladel-
phia that the ballot boxes in that city
ne hab1tualiy STUFFED to the extent of
30, 900 votes. This is a virtual dis
of 80, 600 honest men.
have read of the performance of a
vulgar multi millionaire who has de-
launched the electorate of the State of
Delaware. have heard it on good
authority that every fourth Or fifth
nan in the State of Indiana is a
'urchaseahle and usually purchased
'Oter.
TRUE OF OTHERS.
The like is true of many other
'tates and Localities north of Mason and
Dixon 8 line. Yet for many years we
ave permitted the Lodges. the Platts Y
nd Crumpackers. coming from States !
eeking with corruption, to point
be finger of scoIn at the South. where !
bribed voter is almost unknown.
Il think Southern men should take ,
n aggressive position on this question.
0 far as the reduction of our repre-
entation is concerned, | would much ,
ather see it reduced at once than to
ave our entire representation paTalyZed n
,r all good and useful purposes by
le fear of such reduction. Hence
nth. I beileve the course of the =
outhern men in Congress will not be :,
lfiuenced IN the slightest degree by U
ny fear of what the CIumpackers may y
}. We intend to do our best and defy
lem to do their worst. lf