The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-11-15
TO INVESTIGATE rOUTRAGES." ."
FOR A NEW FORCE BILL.
4 Move in That Direction is Likely
When the New Congress Meets.


When the New Congress Meets.
Especial Dispatch to the Baltimore Sum-
Washington, Nov. 13-It is reiterated
to-day that the conclusions of the ad-
ministration with reference to the race
troubles in the Carolinas look to pas
sive attitude unless there should be new
and serious disturbances presenting other
phases.
The President contemplates adverting
to this subject in his annual message.
coupling whit he says with recomr.enda-
tions or suggestions as TO the eX-
pedieney of legislation. In the discus
sion over this matter in the Cabinet on
Friday there was more or less talk on
the advisability of another Federal cleo
tion law, the statutes covering such sec
tions having all been repealed during the
second administration of Mr.. Cleveland.
One of the members of the Cabinet.
said to be Secretary Gage, is understood
TO have declared very strongly in favor
of force bill similar to the one which,
after passing the House. was sidetrack-
ed in the Senate some years Since.
1t has not transpircd whether Mr..
Gage had anything to say aboat The
wrongs and out-&ges committed upon the
'downtrodden negro" in Illinois. How
ever. Mr.. Gage has struck the keynct1
OF Republican policy toward the South.
If the radical element of that party can
succeed in fastening a new batch of
political legislation upon the South it
will be apt to remain for a long period,
as under any but the most unusual and
the most unlikely circumstances the
enormous Republican majority in the
Senate after March cannot melt away
! under eight or ten years.
| Movements in this direction are al
ready in active progress. Several of the
Southern members of the national Re
publican committee have arrived and
| are talking it up" Negro politicians,
| singly and in delegations, are coming TO
| besiege the White House and the De
| partment of Justice. Congress will be
| deluged with petitions, manufactured
and genuine, and the effort will be de-
| termined and unremitting.
1t is not hoped to get any such legisla-
| tion through this winter. as the Senate
| as now constituted would throw it out.
But the work will begin Immediately
after the meeting Of the new Congress.
which there is a strong proba bility will
be called together in the spring.
| There is no question it will be a great
! temptation to the Republicans to enact
legislation calculated to again make the
! South solid for that party. The Repub-
/ lican Senators from the Northwest have
| for many years helped materially to
avert repressiye Southern legislation. as
their sympathies on the line involved
have been with the Southern whites.
| p,,t thJ, e..
longer have any Senators of their own
from any Of the great Middle and North
western States to speak for them, what
! ever sympathy or good feeling there
might be on the other side Of the cham.
ber will be borne down by the over
! whelming force of numbers.
The New England Senators have never
to this day ''let up" on the South. They
will lead the new crusade in a solid
body. 1t would not be surprising should
Senator Lodge reintroduce his force bill
Immediately, so as to have it in shape
when the new Congress convenes. The
Eastern Senators, reinforced by the new
recruits from the far West, would be
able in all probability to overcome the
conservative influence of the Central
Northwest.
4 OHP Oh Ine arguments WHICH Has Deel
used with the President in the endeavoI
to commit him to the support of the
project is the material assistance contri-
buted To his nomination by the white
and black Republicans from the South
ut the st. Louis convention. His sense
of gratitude is appealed to as well as his
sense Of favors to come. The President
it was said, could by one stroke of his
| pen gather under his banner the bulk
if not all. of the Southern delegates to
the next Republican convention
Perhaps if tranquility prevails in The
/ South from now on and there are no
more race troubles growing out Of poll
ties, this force-bill agitation may subside
and public sentiment in the North may
not be disposed to favor it. If other
wise. the South may have to face the
imminent prospect of another dark and
dismal period. bringing back the sad
memories Of the reconstruction era.