The Harrison times. (Harrison, Boone Co., Ark) 1876-1938, 1900-12-29
WASHINGTON LETTER.
Prom Our Regular Correspondent.

AsHlNGToN, ID. &, Dec. II. 1900.
The past week has been dull one
in the House, though great deal of
interest has been manifested in the
various propositions for the reap
portionment of representatives.
Each proposition, and there are sew
eral of them, has its special advoeat-
es in the delegations from those
states which would receive the
greatest increase from that parti-
cular scheme of re-apportionment.
At the same time the members from
those states which would lose in IT.
presentation by any of the proposed
measures are, without regard to
party affihation, combining in OPP
position to all such schemes. The
Committee on Census, by vote OF
z 20 6, reported on Thursday the
bill introduced by Mr., Hopkins OF
Ills. This bill provides for the same
number of members as at present
1856. According to this the follow
ing states would each lose one
member; Indiana, Kansas, Maine,
/
Nebraska. Ohio. South Carolina and
Virginia; whereas the following
states-Illinois, Louisiana. Mimi
esota, New Jersey, New York and
West Vrginia-would gain one
member each, and Texas gain two,
The minority of the committee re.
ported in favor of bill which would
increase the total representation to
1856, the individual increase being as
follows; Arkansas |, California 1,
Colorado l, Connecticut l, Florida
l. Illinois 3, Iowa / Louisiana /,
| Massachusetts / Minnesota 2, Miss
issippi l, Missouri l, New Jersey 2,
New York 3, North Carolina /,
North Dakota l, Pennsylvania 2,
Texas 8, Washington 1, West Vir-
ginia l, and Wisconsin l. As none
of the states would lose in represent.
alton under this apportionment, and
as the total increase would not be
excessive, it is probable that this
will be the proposition to pass.
Another measure provides for to-
tai representation of 373. Then
there is Representative Crumpack-
er's bill, which provides for a sweep.
ing reduction in representation from
those southern states which have en-
acted restrictive franchise measures
against the illiterate negro vote.
The author OF this measures made a
vehement speech the other day in
favor of its passage, but the empty
seats to which he spoke showed that
that the proposition was not rcceiv-
ing serious consideration from any
one else.
The rest of the week in the House
was DEVOTED to the consideration
and passage of several of the regular
appropriation bills
The Senate on Thursday afternoon
after adopting two further amend
ments, ratified the Hay Pauncefote
treaty by vote of SO to IS. The
two amendments adopted were the
ones declaring the Clayton-B ulwer
treaty to be superseded, and striking
out that article which invited the
other nations to join in the rati6ca-
tion OF the treaty. Several other
amendments, designing to give the
United States power to fortify the
canal, were offered to the treaty, but
these were all defeated by the Repub-
lican majority. In its emascuated
form the treaty is far less obnoxious
than as originally presented to the
Senate. But it is at the same time
very unfortunate that the Re-
publican majority in the Senate
should deem any agreement what
ever with Great Britain necessary
to secure the construction of the
canal A much simpler and more
American procedure would have
been the passage first of a Joint re-
solution declaring the Clayton
Bulwer treaty to be abrogated, and
then of the pending Hepburn,Mor-
gan bill, which provides for con-
struction of the canal under direc-
ton OF the Secretary of War.
The most significant event of this
session occurred in the Senate last
week in Republican revolt against
the dictation of Mr. Hanna. The
first blow to that gentlemen came
at meeting OF the Republican Steer
ing Committee early in the week,
held to determine the program OF
legislation before the Christmas re-