The colored American., 1899-12-16
BALLOT LAWS IN SOUTH.
Mr.. Crumpacker IN Favor OF
Certain Changes, but Opposes
Racial Discrimination.

Representative Edgar D. Crumpacker
of Indiana, who was one of the mosi
industrious and Influential members Of
Election Committee No. 3, in the last
Congress, reiterates his intention OF
pressing for legislation a bill to restrict
the representation of the Southern
States to the votes actually cast in thelr
Congressional elections. Judge Crum
packer has given vast deal of attep'
ton to the subject Of American eIec
tions.
81 know that | assisted to oust q
number Of Virg1nians tronm their seats
in the lower house," said Judge Crum.
packer, when his work on the Elections
Committee was mentioned. 81 should
do the same thing again. II similar
cases weie brought before me. L have
a great amount of sympathy for the
ravages Of illiteracy from which the
States Of the South suffer. Virginia is
not so badly off as some Of the other
Southern States, but the same condi.
tions exist there in places"
1t was suggested to Judge Crumpaker
that there had been some agitation
for changing the election laws OF the
Old Dominion at the next meeting of
the legislature
" 1 hope that will be done," be an
swered. "Many election statutes in the
South create disrespect for law, and
encourage the idea that mob violence
rightly takes it place If the Southern
States want to disfrauchise the litter
crate negro vote, it can properly be
done by enactlng an educational quail
ification. Against such laws l have
nothing to say. They are proper, but
they should be justly and fairly admin
istered. There is no discrimination at
present between the educated and re.
spectacle Negro and the illiterate Ne
gro. The Southern people have placed
them in the lowest possible social and
industrial scale. II the Negro knew
that when educated he could exercise
the right Of suffrage without hindrance
and that the law would be administered
as between him and his
white neighbor, there would be most
effect on his condition.
"I had occasion some time ago."
added Judge Orumpscker, Ito look into
The election laws Of South Carolina.
found that they were very severe in
The qualifications required for voting,
out even then no fault could be found
with the law were it only impartlally
Judge Crumpacker explained that
ne should reintrodnce at the beginning !
)f the session the bill, which was favor
ably reported from the Census Com
nittee at the close of the last Congress.
-t provides for the ascertainment by
census officials Of the volts that were
,ast in recent elections in the South,
sh0 lOS dltithdeC Pun pooC 10 W 1SouSC
he presentation in Congress, accord
ng 10 the fourteenth amendment of
he Constitution.
81 believe the enactment of such a
aw," said Jude Crumpacker, "would
'e one of the greatest blessings tn at
ouId happen to the South. Their local
'ollt1eal interests would be Offset by
esire for large representation in the
lectorlal college and there would be a
endency toward granting what would
e fair. 1 do not forget that the race
roblem OF the South cannot be rem
died by legislation. We cannot legis'
ate brains for the ignorant Negro. The
acial question is one that must be
Olved by gradual development of the
Tegro race, but the conditions should
e made equal for all voters"