The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-12-26
ReappOrtiOnment and Consequent De-
crease i'm Representation Neces-
sary If Justice Is to Prevail.
EXPECTS HIS BILL TO PASS
IN TINE FOR THE CENSUS SUPERIN-
TENDENT TO TAKE ACTION.
An Explanation of the Objects of the
Measure and the Necessity OF It's
Enactment Into Law.
,sc,a, 70 the indianapolis Journal.

Special to the Indianapolis Journal
WASHINGTON, Dec. 25.-Judge Crum-
packer anticipates early action py the
House on his bill to make the second sec
ton of the fourteenth amendment eHectNe
and to pave the way for congressional
reapportionment. The bill will be reported
on favorably by the census committee
soon after the holiday recess and then an
effort will be made to secure caucus In
dorsement. If this is not done the COM
mittee on rules will report an order CIV
ing the measure the right of way. To be
Of practical value the bill should become
a law by the 1st of May. That would give
the superintendent Of the census time TO
distribute the necessary blanks and give
instructions to enumerators for the col
lection of the desired information on which
to base the new congressional apportion-
menI Judge Crumpacker has prepared
a statement setting forth the objects
soug,.. by his bill and explaining the neces-
sity for its enactmen: into law. His
statement follows:
1.-The object of the bill 1 recently intro
duced is to furnish Congress with informa-
ton showing the number of male inhabit-
ants in the various States that have been
disfranchised by operation of local laws,
in order that a just and intelligent ap-
portonment of representatives may be had
under the twelfth census. The fourteenth
amendment to the federal Constitution re-
quires the apportionment of representa-
tives to be based upon population, but in
the event that any State shall disfranchise
any of it's male inhabitants over twenty
one years of age who are citizens of the
United States, excepting for crime or par
ticipation in rebellion, the representation
of such State shall be reduced in the pro-
portion that the disfranchIsed male in
habitants bear to the whole number of
male inhabitants over twenty-one years of
age. That provision of the Constitution
is imperative. 1t is the policy of the fed
eral government to encourage universal
manhood suffrage, and it is a notorious
fact that in a number of States a large
proportion of the voting population is dis
franchised. In some States not over IL
per cent. of the male inhabitants over
twenty-one years of age are allowed to
participate in elections. That result is
brought about in part by direct provisions
of law and in part by mal-adminintration
on the part of election officers. The re-
construction legislation that was designed
to place the ballot in the hands of the
colored man in order that he might be able
to make himself felt as factor in the
affairs of his locality, has been practically
nullified. White citizens of the South no
longer disguise the fact that they sys-
tematically evade the federal Constitution
in fixing qualifications that take the right
of suffrage away from the negro.
5000 VOTES TO THE DISTRICT.
In Mississippip, Louisiana and South
Carolina at the congressional elections i'm
1898 the vote in each district averaged
about 5000. The average vote in the State
of Indiana at the same election averaged
above 5000 in each district The Supreme
Court of the State of Mississippi in a re-
cent decision boldly declared that the
Legislature of the State had swept the
field of expedients in its attempt TO dis
cover means to disfranchise the colored
man without violating the fifteenth amend
ment of the federal Constitution. and IL
upheld the legislation. In several of the
States are educational laws fixing so high
a standard that it is almost impossible for
colored man TO be registered. In Louis
lana they have what is called the grand
father clause II provides that the educa-
tional law shall not apply to any one who
was a voter on the 1st day of January 1867,
nor to any of his lineal descendants The
effect of this provision is to limit the
| operation of the educational law to the
| colored race exclusively, because they
| could not vote on the date fixed and every
white man could.
II have profound sympathy with the
whites of the South who are honestly at
| tempting to protect their institutions
| against the ravages of illiteracy and ignor-
ance. l believe that fair educational laws
| honestly administered would have a most
| salutary effect. If the colored man should
be given to know that in order to become
a voter he must prepare himself by fair
| degree of knowledge, and IL he were as
| sured that when he did so prepare himself
the right to vote would be freely accorded
| him there would be constant inducement
! for him to strive for that important privi-
| lege. and when he achieved 1t 1t would
be mark of distinction. 1t would enhance
his self-respect and make him a better citi-
zen. The prejudice against color in many
sections, however, is so general and in
| tense that discrimination is not made be-
| tween the worthy and the unworthy. The
laws. either by express provision in the
method of their administration discrim-
| mate against all colored men alike The
colored man understands this, and, seeing
no prospects of improving his condition. he
is lapsing into hopeiessness. II the repre-
sentation of those States should be reduced
as II ought 10 be II would operate as a
countervailing force and tend TO establish
proper political equilibrium The i'm
portance of large representation in Con-