Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1890-12-25
c. 9. STERL & co.
THE NEGRO VOTE.
9pinion of Southern Congressman
on It's Elimination.
SENATOR BUTLER PREPARING A BILL.
The Idea of Losing PrOportiOnate Repre-
scntation by Obliteratins the Negro as
a Political Entity Generally
Favored.

WASHINGTON. Dec. 23.-The Post pub
fishes the views of number of South
ern Congressman on the proposition
which it SAYS Senator Butler will bring
forward in the Senate before the debate
on the elections bill closes for a joint
resolution depriving the negro Of his
light to vote and at the same time re-
ducing relatively Southern representa-
ton in Congress.
Senator Butler is reported as saying
hat he will dare Republican Senators
o vote for such a measure, which, he
, eclareS. would receive his hearty sup
,'Ort.
Senator Pugh declares emphatically
hat the South would not hesitate one
1Oment to give up any representation
,ased on the negro vote, if by so doing
could forever eliminate the negro as
political entity. This, he thinks, is
le universal sentiment of the Southern
eOple and this. he thinks. could be done
: repeating the fifteenth amendment
the Constitution and RELOCATING the
wers back t. the states again, as it
IS before the adoption of that amend
ent.
Senator Vance. of North Carolina, is
It so favorable to the proposition. He
Tvs the whites are numerically the
rongcr in the old north States; that
races are living peacefully together,
I'd that the whites have nothing to
in by abridging the negro's right of
ffrage. As an abstract proposition he
opposed to it. The result would be
- inject into the body polite large
ass of citizens who could neither vote
aor be voted for. They would consti-
Ite an element of political IS well as
ocial pariahs They would be an in
dbus upon material prosperity. They
ould have nothing to appeal to
leir better instincts. They would
sc their manhood. They would be
ithout responsibility, and as such
angerous element to the community.
ne South. he said, was gradually
sorl1inG out this race problem to
Apply solution. y few years more and
would be solved completely. As the
legro acquired property he became
letter citizen. His interest was identi-
cal with that of the white man, and
Nth this community of interest he was
Iuite as DESTROYS of good government as
his white neighbor.
Representative Stockdale, of Missis-
sippi, said he would be glad to see the
negro question taken out from politics
IN the South, even if this resulted in his
losing his seat in Congress.
- ,f
State said that to eliminate the negro
and accept the reduced representation
would be a happy solution of a vexing
problem. Public sentiment in Missis-
sippi. so far as he was acquainted with
1t. was in favor of this solution. He
pointed out. however. that the Repub-
lican idea was to retain for the negro
the right to vote and yet reduce the
Southern representation which. how
ever. would be unfair to the South. He
did not believe that the Republicans
would ever adopt such resolution as
Senator Butler proposed to offer, be-
cause it would result in the political
ruin of their party.
Representative Oates, of Alabama,
said that two-thirds of the South were
in favor of reduced representation In
Congress and the Electoral College, If,
on the other hand, the negro population
should be taken out of the apportion-
ment calculations. He denied the Re-
publican claim to twenty or twenty-five
districts from the South, but was will
ng to concede them some seven or
eight. He acknowledged that the Dem
ocratic Legislatures of Alabama and
South Carolina gerrymandered the State
so that all the black counties were
thrown into one district In each State,
but said that gerrymandering was prac-
ticed by both parties in the North with
out criticism.
Representative Mills, of Texas, said
hat the question did not concern him
personally, as there were only 10000
negroes ir bis State. But. he said that