Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1916-02-19
FIGHT Comes Up When Ma
jority Is Gave6ng Through
Substitute of Grandfather
Clause Election aW,
BOOKS AND INK WELLS
WEAPONS OF CONFLICT
Republican State Chairman Is
Knocked Down and Render
ed Unconscious by Blow of
Earaged Enemy

/ A'hltil0lili fAAs ''klttsf I'lis ~
Tumultous scenes occurred in the
! Oklahoma house of representatives
today when the memhcrs were voting
on a section of an election law dee
signed to take the place of the famous
grandfather law which was re-
Gently declared unconstitutional by
the United states supreme court bee
cause it IN effect disfranchised the
negro population of the state.
Pitched Battle Ensucs.
Partisan feeling over the new
measure finally eliminated in an out
break, precipitated by charges OF
corruption and the passing of the lie
between members, during which ink
bottles, paper weights and other fix.
lures of the members desks were
used Us weapons and set battle
seemed inevitable az democrats mass-
ed and advanced toward the republi-
cans and socialists. Arthur II. Geiss
Ter, chairman of the republican state
central committee, was knocked down
and rendered unconscious by Repre-
sentative Lors T.. BRYANT, of Biz
( Heart Usage county.
Vigorous Opposition.
The proposed law Is the product OF
Il democratic caucus II had passed
the senate and was up for final pas
sage in the house late today with re.
publican ana socialist members Of
fering vigorous opposition GeisaleI
was on the floor throus Il tho courtesy
OF a visitors permit Issued him as
republican state chairman Repre-
sentative Paul Ncsbitt, democrat OF
Pittsburgh county had voted IN favor
of the proposed law and as he am
nounced his vote, Representative
Sans, republican. tannted Nesbitt
with being unfair to republicans. -
Nesbitt replied that he was raised in
II county whore the republicans had
overridden him with corrupt prac-
tiees and that he had no desire to b.
fair to republicans,
"They probably took you for the
crook that YOU are" shouted Sans.
III you make that charge You are
Il liar. replied Nesbitt
Sans arose in his seat and shouted
toward the democratic side Of the
house Come on. I'm an instant
every democratic and republican
member of the house was on his feet
Ink bottles and paper weights were
fired back aud forth between the bell
ligerents. The democratic members
advanced through the aislcs toward
the republican members and the
speaker Of the house, A. c. McCrorcy.
left his chair and rushed out of the
Legislative halls The democrats
greatly outuumbercd the republican
combatants ana after the harmless
volley of books had been thrown the
melee ditd out of It's own accord
Chairman Knocked Down.
Representative Tom Hensley. dem
ocrat, went to he side line and was
engaged IN conversation with Geiss-
Ter. when Henslcy walked away Bry-
ant stepped up to Geissler and said
what right have YOU to be talking
to representative on the floor Of the
house. Gcissler replied beg par
don what is your nance" Wherenpon
Bryant hit Geissler n tho face. ac-
eording 10 witnesses knocking him
to the floor ana rendering him nm
conscious for a few minutes
Bryant became lost in The crowd
that rushed around Geissler. No fur.
thor disturbances occurred
President Wilson recently pardoned
two oklahoma election officials who
were convicted in federal court for
the grandfather test" and
there are two others now ON trial IN
federal court at Guthrie.
The election bill passed the house,
jS to 81 II Is expected to be ap-
proved BY Governor Il. l.. Williams
The registration section Of the bill
was being voted m when the disorder
occurred. This also passed the house
30 to 81. No ballot was taken on the
emergency clause, Speaker McCrorey
announcing that the strict party vote
"a The bill showed that the necessary
majority to put the measure into cf-
feet az once could not be obtained.