The record-union., 1899-05-23

MINNEAPOLIS (Minn.), May AT
to-day's session of the Presbyterian
General Assembly, Rev. w n. FRANK
lin. colored minister of Rogervl!le.
Tenn. read an excerpt from a. local pa
per (which said that no colored mem
ber of the assembly had yet spoken IN
the debates ON account of the fear in
spired by the recent outrages in the
South-not knowing but what they
might be held to pay full account when
they return.
Mr.. Franklin stated that the article
was without foundation, and that in
Justice to the colored members, to the
assembly and the people of presbyteries
which had returned eolored Commits
sioners there should be a public denial.
Dr. Franklin explained that in the
presbyteries of Holston and French
Broad, from which he comes, there are
twenty-four white and four colored
ministers. and 5000 white and 1000
colored communicates, yet the over
wheiming white majority had sent him
as one of the two ministers to repre-
sent them
DIR. Franklin offered resolutions re-
futing the newspapers statement, and
explaining that the colored Commits
sioners were notTestrained from debate
because of fear.
Synodical committees were. named,
and the report of the Committee Oh
Freedmen was read.
The report was highly cong1atulatory
to the Freedmens Board, even though
it had ended the year $4,000 in debt
instead of free from debt as the other
boards.
The roll was called on the apportion-
ment of funds to be raised to cancel
the debt. Some of the presbyteries
were assessed nearly 5000 The
amount subscribed at once is $4,000.
The freedmen report would have been
adopted without delay had it not been
for one section which refers to the re-
cent lynchings in the South. The ne
gro question is spoken of as "one that
appeals to US with imperious insistence
because of the malefic prejudice and
barbaric caste spirit that are to-day
providing new tortures for the negro s
body and new terrors for his soul. We
heartily join with our fellow citizens
and fellow Christians of the South in
horror of these dreadful manifesto
tons"
The question was taken up later as
a special order
Rev. Graham C. Campbell of Burke
VILE, Va, warned Presbyterians
against giving money to Booker T.
Washington. He said Mr.. Washington
was doing a grand work. But who
could carry it on after Washington
had gone? IN many regions it had
been found that Mr. Washington S
young men had taken from Presby-
terians all their money for the Freed
mems Board. The board could spend
the money TO just as good advantage
as Mr. Washington, and was a per
petual organization.
Democracy asserted itself in the Pres
byterian General Assembly this after
noon With a shout the Assembly
voted down two carefully considered
and prepared plans to reduce the men,
bership. one by third and the other
by more than a half The Committee
on Reduced Representation was scarce
ly given courteous treatment, so pro-
nounced was the feeling against getting
farther away from the people Two
members of the committee presented
the two proposed plans, one making the
basis of representation 5000 communi-
cants and the other making the basis
thirty-six ministers in the presbyteries
instead of twenty-four, as at present.
Colonel F. L. Hitchcock of the COM
inittee argued for the representation by
synods, according to the membership,
and declared that there was no doubt
that 6T2. the present membership of
the Assembly, was far too large. 1t was