The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1893-03-17
UNEQUAL EXPERIMENTATION.

Maj. c. NJ. Barton. Of Olympia, frees
his mind in the Tacoma Ledger concerning
the unequal representation secured by the
South through its notification Of the re-
construction legislation and tho suppress
sion Of negro suffrage. This unequal rep
resentation was illustrated in the congress.
SIGNAL election of 1890. when Oregon,
Washington and California cast 37s, 568
votes for eight members of congress,
California having six of tho eight, while.
for instance. the three states of Alabama.
Mississippi and South Carolina cast only
$4,000 votes for twenty-one members Of
congress. At the last election. 1892, the
figures for the states mentioned are
much wider apart. and any three Of
the old Southern states have two-thirds
more representation in congress today
than has California, Oregon and WASH
ington. while tho voting representation Of
these three Southern states IL two-thirds
less than that of the three states OF the
Pacific Northwest. Twcnty-one free trad
ers in congress from three Southern states,
representing o3s. oo9 voters. can overwhelm
eight protcctionists from the Coast repre-
senting 31s. ss,S voters. Maj. Barton quotes
the fact of the election of member Of
congress from the First district OF Missis-
sippi (Allen) by 2. 1856 votes. his opponent
receiving only thirty-five votes-while
many candidates were defeated in the
states of California. Oregon and Washing
ton after having received all the way from
l2,o0o to SO. oo0 each.
This is all true: il is pity that il is true,
but there is nothing new in il: il is a tale
worn threadbare in the telling. and the
worst of il all is that there is no prospect
OF reform or redress. The North has been
steadily appealed 10 on this subject in
vain for more than fifteen years without
the slightest effect James q. Blaine AZ all
times defended the sancIi;y of the ballot.
and IN The United States senate IN Deem
Der. ISIS. pending a resolution presented
by himself for an inquiry into certain al
legged frauds in the South, made a power
ful plea as TO the Injustice wrought bv
denial OF the franchise TO the blacks. In
the course OF this speech Mr.. Blaine pre-
sented an array Of e cures setting forth the
fact Of unequal representation as the con.
sequence of nullilcation of law and the
systematic suppression of the suffrage.
After his defeat fer the presidency in
lss4 Mr.. Blaine, in q public speech.
again set forth these same fact, and
figures, and during the recent pres.
idential campaign OF November, 1892
the same proofs of unequal repre-
sentstion were quoted by Republican
speakers a. complete justification for the
Federal supervisors bin. Bu, tho North
ern states that are defrauded by this
Southern Modification of Law and svs,e-
matte suppression Of suffrage are entirely
indifferent to this argument, aud there
does not seem 30 De the slightest prospec,
that this outrage of unequal representa-
ton W i'll ever he reformed.
Last year John sherman. referring TO
this situation and .he indifference of the
North. said.
The cGiy ssisyaHes the North has which. 7
am soTry % say, Il Is not ssposea 70 Contend
ahoat 81 pssseai. II iAe denia o. sulrsgs 20 tas
blacks without giving up the additional Eeprs-
ssnfataoa conferred by those blacks some
tsmes think thai IL ne hai stood on the sour.
toensn amendment We should have doas hc,,sr.
shsI amendment withdrew Representation nsss