The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1900-12-06
Told virginians Yesterday He Did
Not Favor Reducing Number of
Southern Congressmen.
GROsvEN0R BLUNT AS USUAL
"GIvE THEM ROPE ENOUGH AND
THEY WILL HANG THEMSELVES"
Indianians to Fight Any Basis of Re-
apportionmcnt That Cuts Down
Their Representation.
,ecial to the Indianapolis Journal.

Special to the Indianapolis Journal.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 5.--Among Presi-
dent McKinley's callers to-day were Sena-
tors Daniel and Martin and Representatives
Otey and Swanson, of Virginia, who called
to pay their respects. The President made
their visit the occasion TO state his views
concerning the various schemes for the
decrease Of representation In Congress
from such of the Southern States as have
limited suffrage by thesimposition of edu-
cational qualifications in their respective
constitutions. The Virginia statesmen had
rot gone to the White House to discuss
this subject and made no reference to 1t.
the President introducing it with state
ment of his attitude on the question. He
has stated his position publicly on other
occasions and said to his callers from the
Old Dominion that he had thought ii
proper thus to make known his views. They
were very naturally gratified at what the
President said to them on this matter, more
especially as Virginia is soon to hold con-
stitutional convention and Senator Daniel
is engaged in preparing a provision for the
restriction of suffrage.
The Presidents objection to decreasing
congressional representation because of a
limitation of suffrage by any of the States
is reflected in the expressions of General
Grosvenor, of Ohio, In opposition to the
idea. and who bluntly says that ''give them
rope enough the Southern Democrats will
hang themselves" and of Chairman Hop
kins, of the census committee, which will
frame the reapportionment bill, who says:
THE Southern States must work out their
own salvation" The Presidents attitude
certainly disposes of the proposition to re-
strict representation in Congress because
of limitation OF suffrage at this session
and probably for the future 1t will let
representation rest on the basis of popula-
ton, where it was placed by the trainers
of the Constitution. and not in any degree
on suffrage as Representative Crumpacker
proposes in his bill and as advocated by
others.
The Indiana congressional delegation will
have meeting soon about the reapportion-
ment bill on the basis of 20S, ,O0O proposed
by Chairman Hopkins, of the census COM
mittee. Indiana would be entitled to but
twelve members, loss OF one. Naturally
the delegation wants to avoid any loss of
representation. The population by this
years census was given as 251e 463 The
highest basis that would leave Indiana's
representation as it is-thirteen congress
men-is 2o1 900, for no matter what the ba sis
a majority fraction adds representative
20 the number State would be entitled
TO. II 20S,0oo be the basis Ohio Maine.
Michigan, Kansas, Nebraska, Kentucky.
South Carolina and Virginia would each
lose a congressman as we'll as Indiana.
Nebraska will lose unless the basis be
placed as low as lSS,Sl9. lower than that
under the census of 1890. A concerted effort
on the part OF the States above named will
probably prevent the basis being raised
above 100000.
Representative Griffith to-day introduced
a bill referring to the Court OF Claims the
claims OF Oliver p. Cobb and others for
oats and corn sold to the government
Representative Hemenway to-day intro
duced bill 10 remove the charge of de-
sertion against jeremiah C. Lamar, Com
pany L. Twenty-fifth Indiana Volunteers.
Senator Fairbanks to-day introduced a
bill declaring the St Joseph river in Elk
hart and st. Joseph counties nonnavigable.
the object being to egalize the bridges and
dams heretofore constructed on or over
said river.