Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1890-03-18
TUESDAY. MARCH 10. 1890.
The South IN Chains-Tho Lodge Bill

Tho South m ChalnS-lno LOuSo Din
Mr.. Speaker REDS rulings and the
adoption Of those rulings as regular rules
for the government of the House OF Repre-
sen,atives are matters TO which the atten-
tion OF our readers has been invited again
and again. Republican State Conventions
of last year declared in favor OF the pro-
lection of the negro in all his rlghts-a de-
claration which was well known to be the
bvpocrites, method Of coming out for
law 10 perpotuate Republican tyranny.
Our readers were then warned that a
movement was on foot TO restore the con-
dition of things which existed in the
southern States during reconstruction
days. Substantially, the bill to place the
elections of the members OF the national
House of Representatives, introduced into
that body last Saturday by Mr.. LODGE, of
Massachusetts,, is bill to restore IN the
southern States the rule of carpet baggers,
scalawags, and ignorant negroes-a bill to
perpetuate unutterable and romediless
wrongs upon an innocent and long-suncr-
people.
Let not the reader mistake the LoDGE
bill for the McCoMAs bill. The latter IL
bill 10 continue in existence until further
orders from Congress the congressional
districts as they existed in the several
States at the time of the last general cleo
tions for members Of the House OF Repre-
sentatives. Strange to say, this bill Is ex-
pected 10 be defeated in the same House
of Representatives which is expected to
pass the LODGE bill. The northern con-
rressmon realize that the McCoMAs bill
would tic the hands of Republican state
legislatures as we'll as Of Democratic state
Legislatures, and as the sole and selfish
and unpatriotlc object of oil Republican
legislation is TO refill the pockets OF Re
publican millonaires or to get Republican
millionalres into the United States Senate
and House of Representatives the present
House of Representatives may decline to
carry out fully the rascally programme
laid down for that body by QUAY Co.
long before Congress met.
As at present advised, we cannot pro-
nounce the LODGE bill unconstitutional.
Perhaps a full discussion Of its features
NAV prove the unconstituti0nality OF some
of them. Congress Ger ,ainly has the power
TO fix the times, places, and manner " or
holding elections for either senators or
representatives. For years law has been
In force which provides for the appoint
ment of Federal deputy-marshals and SUI
pervisors of elections for members OF the
House of Representatives; and this law
has been held to be constitutional. Con-
press has also fixed the time" for the
election of representatives-the Tuesday
next after the first Monday in November.
1t has also provided that the "manner" OF
such elections shall be by ballot The
LODGE bill proposes TO fix the "place" of
such elections. But the districting of the
several States could hardly be said to DO
Authorized by the word time" or the
word place" or the word manner -
possiblv the last word would be held to
authorize districting by those who desire
10 district the States in the interest OF the
Republican party.
The reader will of course not expect
Republican Congress to reject bill be-
cause Of unconstitutionality. The body
that passed the unconstitutional recon-
struction acts and the unconstitutional
ciyil-rights act pronounced uncOnstitu-
tional by the Republican Supreme Court
Of the United States cannot be relied upon
20 defeat any partisan measure which
promises party advantages.
The illiterate negro voter will allow the
inspector to prepare his ballot for bin,
ms the LODGE bill provides, and Will be
proud to boast that lie has under such cir
cumstances cast his ballot for his Republi-
can masters. The illiterate white voter
will not be so manageable. When the pay
ment Of poll-tax was in this State pre-
requisite 10 voting, the negroes gladly
allowed that tax TO be paid for them by
their Republican masters; but many white
voters refused to allow the capitation-tax
70 be paid for them. Sol will be under the
LODGE law. The negroes have nofeeling of
self-respect which will cause them TO stay
away from the ballot-box rather than ex-
pose their illiteTacy; but many of the
whites will be kept at home by their un-
willingness TO tell the inspector that they
cannot read.
In every congressional district wherein
there are five hundred negro voters-that
Is TO say in nearly all the districts in the
South-the petition provided for by the
LODGE bill will get that many signatures
and thus cause the congressional elections
10 be placed under Federal control. The
Republicans no doubt hope that in the
northern States the necessary number Of
signatures will not be forthcoming. But
the Democrats should amend the bill 80 as
20 make it take effect if in any in all the
congressional districts in the Union.
The expense of holding elections under
the LODGE bill will be large. but of course
Congress Will have 10 foot the bill, as un-
der existing laws it does in the cases of
Federal deputy maTshals and supervisors
of elections
The LODGE bill forbids dilatory chal-
lenges as REgp's rules forbid dilatory mo-
lions.
What Is 10 become Of the Virginia laws,
and all other State laws, providing for the
holding of congressional elections9 If the
JJoD0E bill is constitutional all State laws
will be swept away IN all those congress
sional districts in which the LopoE law is
.n force, but left in full force in all other
congressional distyicts. And 80 under the
laws which our Republican taskmasters
will have enacted for our humiliation,
there may DO presented the spectacle Of
congressional elections held in one district
under Federal laws and in an adjoining
district under State laws!-the State TO
pay the cost in one district and the Federal
Government TO pay the cost in the other
district. and at the next election for Con-
gress the two districts may change places !!
We shall keep our eyes upon this bill and
let our readers know its progress and pros
poets.
In an article on the debt of the city of