The Washington herald., 1908-01-14
WORK ON PENAL CODE
House Passes Twenty-Five
Sections in Five Hours.
MANY SPEECHES ARE MADE
Parts Under Discussion Are Those
Put ON Statute Book To Enforce
Fifteenth AmeRdmeBt-OppOs by
John sharp williams and Other
of His Political Colleagues.

iNttpHSti -pfflou ltbASieAtioH was
under fire in the House yesterday. and
was the cause of some lively debate. as
we'll as the expression of some concilia-
tory sentiment. The general discussion
on the subject was preceded by a differ
ence of opinion between Mr. Williams
and Mr. DE Armond, of the minority, and
was founded upon a motion by Mr.. Bart
/ lett. of Georgia, to strike out Of the
/ codifcation of the criminal laws under
consideration in Committee of the Whole
/ the provision prohibiting discrimination
against jury service in State courts on
account of color.
/ Mr.. Hepburn. Of Iowa, opposed the
/ motion. expressing regret that such q
question should be precipitated. The pro-
vision, he said, sought only 10 preserve
/ the rights Of citizens. II was strange
that a proposition for discrimination
should come from the Democracy, which
over and over again had rung the changes
/ on equal rights for ali and special priu-
/ leges for none. The spirit which made
/ such legislation necessary thirty-fOur
years ago was not dead.
Praises Mr. williams.
! As evidence Of this, he's said, Mr. VIII
liams. Of Mississippi, whom he declared
TO be a man Of infinite worth and the
/ peer Of any man who had ever sat in
that body during the last fifty years, had
/ only triumphed by a few hundred votes
over an opponent who Had made his
campaign upon the platform favoring the
Irepeai of constitutional amendments. and
/ the taking away from a large class Of
/ citizens all their rights Of citizenship. AS
+ long as sentiment was popular in the
south he said he wanted 10 preserve these
statutes which guarantee rights OF citiZeG-
/ ship to all.
/ Replying 10 Mr. Hepburn. Mr.. Williams
/ took occasion to explain why II was that
/ his opponent In the recent Senatorial
contest in Mississippi Gov VardamaD
/ had come so near 20 defeating him. II
was true. he said. that his opponent
had made the repeal Of the fifteenth
amendment a part Of his platform, but
/ that was not the cause of his pOpu-
/ larity He was personally popular, Mr.
/ williams eaid, 70 start with, was a good
mixer, and "a man Of very taking ways.
/ he had made an excellent governor had
enforced the laws stamped out lawless-
ness. as far as he could, and, in addition,
I enjoyed a large patronage.
Williams RetaIiates.
7 am naturally averse." said Mr..
! Williams, Ito letting the gentleman from
Iowa whip my pe0pia over my shoulders,
even though the whip that he uses has
on it the cracker Of compliment to my
self" No one ought 10 contend, he said,
that the Federal Legislature should FIX
the qualifications Of a juror in a State
court. Men have a right TO equal rights,
and he stood for them. but he Centended
| that the so-called right 70 vote was not
a right. but q privilege conferred upon
a man in the interests Of society, and
II he is not competent 20 exercise il in
the interests Of society he ought not "a
have it.
Mr. Hepburn asked II citizen Of the
United States did not have the right To
a trial by a jury OF his peers
In Mississippi" responded Mr. VIII
I liams, every man gets trial by his
peers. and many a man gets trial by
men who are more than his peers, but il
/ does not follow that the Federal Legisla-
/ ture should prescribe who are his peers
In State court
states Make Mistakes.
"That States make mistakes now ard
then / grant you; that the Federal gov
ernment makes mistakes now and then
no man will have the audacity to deny,
but that either shall trench upon the
rights granted 10 the one or reserved e
the other is a proposition absolutely
abominable"
Mr. Williams COntended that when the
statute was passed 1t was for the purpose
Of enabling the United States indirectly tC
prescribe the qualifications of a juror II
a State court. and it ought not to have
been passed.
The discussion was further participated
in by Mr.. Hardy. Of Texas; Mr.. Bartlett
Of Georgia; Mr.. Houston, of Texas. ana
was closed by Mr. Driscoll, Of New York
who charged the Democrats with seekine
10 defeat all laws enacted to enforce tht
fifteenth amendment. while not having
the courage to advocate the repeal of The
amendment itself.
Mr. Bartlett's motion was lost-77 to %.
Minority Proposals Lose.
BY votes showing a majority Of about
fifteen, the several propositions to amend
or strike out were defeated. The sam,
disposition was made Of amendments pro.
posed by Mr. Cochran Dem, n. ". dis