The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1906-10-11
EVANS SMILED, BUT STOOD FIRM
While Fellow. Republicans Anathematized
Force Bill.

Spflngheld, Tenn, Oct. 2.-ln the
course OF his speech here yesterday in
behalf of the democratic ticket, Gen.
A. B. Woodward, of Nashville, said;
"My mind goes back to scenCe in
the summer of 1890 on the floor uf con
gress when Cabot Lodge, of Massa
chusetts, with Clay Evans, of Tennes-
see and other republicans, possibly
along with rhos. b. Reed and their
committee on elections, undertook to
crush the states of the south by invad-
ing their voting precinc,s and regulat-
ing their elections with the iron hand
of military power, They undertook to
make the president, like Caesar was at
one time, master of all elections, and
to make it so that with his supervisors
of elections he could perpetuate HIM
self and his congress in power as long
as desired and ambition might crave
that power. So to accomplish this pur-
pose they brought into congress,
through the election committee. that
odious force bill.
81 see Evans, in my minds eye, as
he keenly watches the proceedings af-
ter the bill is brought in. | see him
watching as he hears its iniquitous If
ty-seven sections read. / see him in
tently listening and watching as Lehl-
back, republican from New Jersey,
makes a strong speech against it, de-
bouncing it for giving one man, the
"chief supervisor, power to direct a
house to house canvass and subject vo-
ters to>the annoyance of a political in
quisiton by United States Marshals
and supervisors. l see him as he listens
to Nathan Frank, fellow republican
from Missouri, denounc!ng it as a hy-
brid -mongrel affair, subversive of state
rights, by putting irresponsible per-
sons, selected by one man, as para
mount in authority to the chief officers
of the state. see him frown as he
hears his fellow republican, d. B
Coleman, of Louisiana, in speaking
against it say: "If you are determined
to pass it, then you must prepare t.
enforce it with federal bayonets, and
possibly federal bullets.
81 hear him grunt as he sees another
fellow republican, J. B. Cheadle, of
Indiana, rise in opposition to it, aud
deny the right of congress to authorize
by law supervisors or other officers of
the federal government to go into his
district and take possession of ticket
that are cast by voters for judiciol,
county and legislative offices, or that
such law can be passed as to give a
right to federal supervisors to go into
Indiana, Kentucky, New York or Ten
nessee and take possession OF such
tickets without trampling under foot
the fundamental principles of local
elf government and rights which be-
long, under the constitution, to the
states.
81 see him almost weep as he sees Fl.
G. Ewart, another of his fellow repub-
leans, from North Carolina, rise in
stubborn opposition, and say: "Today
to our shame and discredit be it said,
there are representatives from sover-
eign states upon this floor, who, deep
down in their hea, is, know that this
election bill is as damnable, illogical,
ineqnitable and vicious piece of leg
Station as was ever attempted to be
placed upon the statute books of this
Republic, and yet at a sacrifice of man
hood, sober Judgment, their sense of
fairness and justice, they will support
II measure which will adl untold mis-
cries to the woes of the people it is de.
signed to help, and stir up race troub.
les in our fair Southland. 1t is a sec.
tional measure designed almost entire.
ly for the south | do not know wha'
course other southern republican rep
resentatives may take in this matter
but speaking for myself, will never
by my vote or voice, support PROPOSE
tion on this floor that teuds to humili
| ate or degrade my people. I shall, if
/! am the only republican ON this floor
protest against the passage of laV
that will SOW the foul seeds of factiona
dlscord among the people. If that b
treason to my party make the most @
it,"
81 see him after all these anathema
from men of his own party were hurle
at him, turn with smiling face, as i
derision he sees r. P Flower, of Ne
York, arise and say: "This measur
is to get into the hands of the repabl
can party the whole election machiner
of the states, and in order to accom-
plish this design there is manifested
willingness to degrade the federal j.
dietary by dragging it into the filth
partisan politics and make it the il
e. strument of oppression to the peopl
The subsection of the federal judge ar
courts to the beck and call of the s.
pervisor of election, to convene Il
Z ~ courts at his pleasure, to execute
III will, and to have its proceedings dete
lis mined by the influence of a set of pc
ty political corruptionists, bent up,
installing in Office the men who shi
III have been already elected by repGb
Y can conventions, can result only IN u
i setting the judicial system of the cou