The sun., 1908-05-10
STUMP SPEECHES IN THEHOUSE
RIVAL LEADERS INDULGE IN
OLD TINE POLITICAL TALK.
Dishonesty at Elections Was the Theme
and Mr. Payne and John sharp Williams
Make Charges and COunteTcharses Of
Fraud and Corruption, Mostly True.


and Mr. Payne and John sharp Williams
Make Charges and Countercharses Of
Fraud and Corruption, Mostly True
WASHINGTON, May 9.--The rival leaders
Of the House Of Representatives took a
day on from legislative duties and in
dulged in the first old fashioned campaign
ing OF the session Dishonesty at elections
was the theme, and charges and counter
charges Of fraud and corruption by the two
great POLITICAL parties were alternately
made 1t was most as much fun IA the
baseball match, which was the opposition
attraction and which rendered it difficult
to maintain a quorum in attendance
II all arose from remark made by Mi
nority Leader Williams while the District
Of Columbia child labor bill was before the
House He was reciting his oft repeated
list Of the wise, just and necessary meas
ures which the House was passing under
the pressure Of the flibuster conducted
under his personal supervision and added
that he hoped to have an opportunity to
Join the majority in passing a campaign
fund publicity bill in the interests Of honest
elections.
This reused the political bile Of Majority
Leader Payne, who in burst Of fine scorn
and irony asked: y
when was the Democratic party ever in
favor Of honest elections. Was 1t in my
State. when time after time they carried
the election not by the honest ballot but
Ivy fraudulent votes deposited in the ballot
box and by fraudulent counts, well known
to all the world in the great city OF New
York in the city Of Troy, in the city OF Al
bany-sendng around gangs OF five to re-
peat from poll to poll. impersonating well
known Republican citizens2 Was It then
that they we're in favor Of honest elections?
We're they in favor Of honest elections when
we passed through the Republican Legisla-
turr in the State Of New York a corrupt
Lractice act. when we followed 1t up by
publicity act and was the Democratic party
standing by doing anything? Yes, critics.
ing and cavilling and scolding and all that
sort of thing. | do not need TO describe t.
We see an exhibition Of il here in the halls
of Congress day after day, the kind Of per-
formance that those same gentlemen up
there indulged in.
when were they in favor of honest cleo
tions? Why only when they got majority
that way Is 1t necessary for the Demo-
cratic party in the State OF Maryland to
disiranchise the black man in that Statel
You put it on the plea in the South that
they were an overwhelming number and
that they we're led bv dishonest men and
that they we're getting their hands into
the treasury and were mulotlng the tax
payers and depriving people OF their prop
erty. Is that necessary IN the State OF
MARYLAND? Maryland has got the habit
Of going Republican now and then in these
later days. The people are getting edu-
Gated. they are getting educated up TO he
publican ideas. The Republican party has
an honest majority in that State and in order
10 meet it temporarily, having got into
power in that State, you are bending every
effort 10 deprive every colored citizen OF
the right Of franchise, hoping thereby TO
make d Democratic State OF the State OF
Maryland Oh, | like to hear a Democrat
talk about honest elections, Having the
power, when you are in power, point me 10
the statute that you have ever put on the
books that insures honesty in elections
Here Mr.. Williams arose to reply, filed
with the joy OF combat, and went right at it.
1T is refreshing he began, TO hear
lecture on honesty in elections from the
Republican party-the party Of fresh new
crisp s. bills tine party Of blocks OF five,
the party OF the city Of Philadelphia, the
party OF the returning board way back In
10. the party that carried the election in
80 by Wholesale bribery, the party that in
1904. even that late. denied that 1t had
been receiving money from fduciary cor
porations for political purposes and was
afterward convicted OF talsehood in the
denial-the party OF my dear Hartman
There was a time in the history Of my
own section" MIR Williams frankly con-
ceded, when there was intimidation and
when there was fraud. There was some
excuse for it-l do not say justification,
but eXtenuation-when a great race was
engaged In saving its civilization, but there
was never any excuse, there was never
any eXtenuation for the Republican party
in its programme OF wholesale bribery in
1895 in 1900 and in 1904, when II took the
money that belonged 10 widows and orphans
out Of fiduciary funds.
"One Of the most honest men in the Re-
publican party Is now sitting in the White
House, and at one time did have the man
hood-it is at least reported-to have said
that the Republican campaign committee
ought 10 return the money that had been
flched from the widows and orphans and
beneficiaries and policyholders Of the New
York Life and the New York Mutual in
suranoe companies, but under an environ.
ment too strong for him he has ceased
to talk upon the subject,
"Why the gentleman's soul rebels that
Democrats mention honest elections, and
that coming from the party Of the whiskey
fraud, the Credit Mobiler and the Star
Route.
'Let the fraud that constituted Repub-
lioanism In various parts Of the country,
the fraud that walked through the South
when men we're In desperation saving a
saying now, now at the present moment
what do you say? Here | stand, knowing
that represent the Democratic party In
that TOgard-I stand 10 challenge you that