The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1901-01-06
BOTH SIDES ARE
SURE OF VICTORY
Reapportionnent Meas
1lre in the House.
SOME SHARP TILTs.
The Chair Obliged to Call Gentlemen
to Order.
ARMY BILL IN THE SENATE,
Amendmcntst 10 Which There Was No
Objection Agreed to, but Action
OH Others Was Blocked by
Pcttigr ex-senator
Daniel Sarcastic i'll
His itemnrkS.
lHz Associated rrnss \

(By Associated rrcss)
WASHINGTON, Jan. 5.-Thc feature OF
the debate upon the reapportoninent bill
in the House to-day was Il bwo-hour speech
by Mr.. I.ittlefield, of Maine, in favor of
the BurleisG, bill to increase the mem
,bership of the House to SS6. He had a
number of sharp exchanges with Mr.. Hop
kins, chairman of the Census Committee,
in which he sustained his reputation as
hard hitter and vigorous .debater,
The other speakers to-day were MesSrS.
shattuck, of Ohio (Republicam; klutz
.3emocrat), Fox DemocraD, Sutherland
Populist), Linney (Repub!can), Olmstead
(ReDublicdn and M:erS Democrat.
During the course Of the day, Mr.. Hop
kins expressed willingness to accept an
amendment to his bill which would give
ar. additional representative each to Flor
ida. Colorado, and North Dakota, the
three States with majority fractions lln-
recognized IN his bill. He claims assured
victory for his bill, but. the advocates of
the I5urlei9a bill insist almost as conf
dcntly that the Hopkins bill will be beaten.
F'AVORS BURL.EIGH BILL.
Mr.. I1ittletield began tie debate with an
argument in favor of the Burlcish bill.
Mr.. Littlefield declared that the Hopkins
bill could properly be entitled AN Act 10
Cripple the State of Maine in Her Repre-
sentatiOn III the House and in the Flee
toral college He resented what he
termed Mr. Hopkins assault upon the
State Of Maine. That statement drew
from Mr. Hopkins an indignant denial
which led to a sharp exchange between
the two members.
Mr.. .-,5letie;d sarcastically called Mr..
Hopkins attention to the men who. like
Lcvejoy and Fuller, had gone to Illinois
to give distinction to that State. Yet.
said he. ''the gentleman'S speech yester-
day was saturated with a. I,ettifosSing
assault upon Maine
After a sharper exchange than usual
with MI Hopkins. the chair was obliged
to call the gentlemen to order and to call
attention to the rule which provides that
the gentleman on the floor cannot be in
terrupted without the consent OF the other:
also to the rult that members cannot ad
dress each other by the second person
Mr. Shattuck, of Ohio, followed Mr.
Iittlefield. He insisted that in making the
-eappointment, the representation should
be reduced in all States where the right
10 vote is abridged He claimed ten States
abridged the suffrage 20 an average of 20
per cent. They were California a. per
cent; Connecticut 53 per cent: Delaware,
14.3 per cent: Louisiana, 45.S per cent;
Maine, So per cent; Massachusetts, G.2 per
cent; Mississippi, 40 per cent: North
Carolina. 35.1 per cent: South Carolina,
4, per cent and Wyoming. 34 per cent.
Mr.. Klutz of North Carolina, member
OF the Census Committee, argued in favor
of the Hopkins bill The real question
at issue. he c0ntended. WIS whether the
membership OF the House should be in
creased He favored SoI because he
thought the House was already large
enough and because on that basis there
would be no partisan advantage TO either
purity in the House or in the Electoral
College.
DEFENDED Ills STATE.
Mr.. Fox of Mississippi replied to the
attacks upon the South, defending the ac-
ton OF his State in adopting her new
Constitution.
Mr.. Lnney Republican). of North Caro-
lima, argued that, under their oaths to
support the Constitution, members in Vot-
ing upon the reappointment question must
take cogniZance of the abridgment Of the
suffrage in the Southern States. He gave
an entertaining description OF Democratic
election methods in North Carolina. scoring
the Democrats mercilessly for their actions.
He was especially severe in his condemna-
ton Of their course in calling the LeSis-
!atlIre together last summer to pnss a law
to !lreyent the issue OF writS of manda-
mus
Mr.. Sims Oemocrat. of Tennessee,
asked if the real cause OF the alleged
crimes. recited by Mr.. Linney was not to
prevent negro domination?
Mr. Linney replied that the fear of negro
domination was pure rot that all pre-
text of such fear could be destroyed by
requiring all officers OF the State and
county to give bonds.
Did the Republicans of North Carolina
evcr. elect q negro to the Supreme Bench
Of the State?" asked Mr.. Gaines Oemo
of Tennessee
They never did, and they never will"
replied Mr. Ltnney, but the Dmocrats, to
serve their purpose. would appoint ne
gro or a monkey" GaughterD
Mr.. Linney declared that it was the love
of power which led the Democrats of the
state to commit crimes against tha ballot.
Mr. Small Denl). of North Carolina.
asEed if Mr.. Linney charged fraud in his
district.
How many negroes are there In your
aistrict?" asked Mr.. Linney.
II do not know. but the negroes have
not a majority, replied Mr.. Small.
Then" replied Mr.. Linney quickly. "it
is possible that you may have squeezed
through by leaving hair on both sides Of
the hole without stealing Uaughter>.
The House at $50 P. NJ. adjourned.