The colored American., 1899-12-16
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 most
industrious and Influential members of
Election Committee No. 3, in the last
Congress, reiterates his intention of
pressing for legislation bill to restrict
the representation Of the Southern
States 10 the votes actually cast in their
Congressional elections. Judge Crum
packer has given a vast deal Of stteD'
ton TO the subject OF American eIec
tions.
81 know that l assisted to GUST
number OF VirgInians 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 wele brought before me. L have
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
for changing the election laws of the
Old Dominion at the next meeting of
the legislature
81 hope that will be DONE" he an
swered. "Many election statutes In the
South create dlsrespect for law, and
encourage the idea that mob violence
rightly takes it place If the Southern
States want to disfranchise the Hitter
crate negro vote, it can properly be
done by enactlng an educational quail
| ification. Against such laws / 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 be could exercise
the right OF suffrage without hindrance
and that the law would be administered
impartially, as between him and his
white neighbor, there would be a most
sautary effect on his condition.
81 had occasion some time ago."
added Judge Orumpacker, ito look into
the election laws OF South Carolina.
L found that they were very severe in
the qualifications required for voting,
but even then no fault could be found
with the law were it only impartIalIy
administered"
Judge Crumpacker explained that
he should reintrOdnce at the beginning
of the session the bill, which was favor
miLtee at the close of the last Congress.
Ii provides for the ascertainment by
census officials Of the vOt,s that were
cast in recent elections in the South,
and its ultimate purpose is TO reduce
the representation in Congress-, accord
ing 10 the fourteenth amendment of
the Constitution.
81 believe the enactment of such
law" said Jude Crumpacker, would
| be one of the greatest blessings tn at
could happen to the South. Their local
political interests would be offset by
desire for large representation in the
electOrlal college and there would be
tendency toward granting what would
be fair. 1 do not forget that the race
problem OF the South cannot be rem
edied by legislation. We cannot Iegis
late brains for the ignorant Negro. The
racial question is one that must be
solved by gradual development of the
Negro race, but the conditions should
be made equal for all voters"