The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1901-06-13
WASHINGTON.
From Cur Regular Correspondent.

4 iiOIl oul NtEuldI correspondent.
Washington, June 10, 1901.
The Republican scheme for reduc-
ing the Congressional Representation
of the Southern States which restricts
negro suffrage has been revived and 1t
is said to have more influential back
ing than the movement that was start
ed last winter. AT that time it was
understood that Mr.. Mckinley, who
bad just begun to believe in the posi-
billty OF white Republican party in
the South, opposed the idea and was
instrumental in having it laid aside.
1t is doubtful whether he has changed
his mind on the subject, but some of
the men who are quietly pushing the
revived scheme express the opinion
that by next winter the failure of max
ing white Republican recruits IN the
South, under the name of McLaurn-
ism, or any other, will be so plain to
Mr.. Mckinley that he can be counted
upon to keep his hands off, if not to
help along the scheme. The increased
power given to Congress by the insu-
lar decisions of the Supreme Court is
used by the men who are working the
scheme as an argument for the politi-
cal necessity of cutting down Southern
representation so as to make it certain
that the Republicans will retain their
ma jority in the House, the loss of
which might play havoc with the
party's insular policy. There are not
a sufficient number of Senators and
Representatives in Washington to
form an idea of the strength of the re-
vived scheme, but it is being manipu-
lated by shrewd men who have no
scruples about securing political ad-
vantage in any way, and it will be wise
for Democratic Senators and Repre-
sentatives to be vigiant.
There were other than legal reasons
| for the decision of the Administration
not to call an extra summer session
of Congress to legislate for the Philip
pines. One was that it was thought
that few months exercise of the
autocratic authority conferred by the
Spooner amendment would get things
on the islands in condition that
would be less inviting to Congressional
interrogation than they are at this
time, and another was the fear that
Congressional debate on a Philip
pine tariff bill might preciptate
general discussion of the whole tariff
question.
Gen. Samuel Pearson, of the Boer
army, passed through Washington last
week, on his way to New York, where
he has been called to confer with the
agent of the Beers on important busi-
ness, which he hopes relates TO an
honorable peace. Speaking of the
situation IN his unfortunate country, he
said: "We still have about 10000
men in the field, we have all the
ammunition we need, and we have
sufficient horses and food stuffs, British
reports to the contrary notwithstand-
ing. My regular information from the
seat of war tells me that only half of
what is going on in South Africa is
known and published in the news
papers here, and then it is not at all
reliable. All news goes through
English censors. There has been con-
siderable more fighting down there
lately than the American people have
been informed of. Much activity is
displayed throughout the Transvaal,
the Orange Free State and Cape
Colony. Kirtzinger's command has
been very successful recruiting Cape
Dutch for operations against the Brit
ish, and if Kitchener or Roberts can
boast of having invaded the Tranvaal,
we can reply with the invasion of
Cape Colony. Our soldiers are only
fifteen miles from the sea coast, which
speaks for itself. The men who are
at the head of our army are young,
energetic prudent and just. They
know when to strike and how to do it
to obtain the best results with the
least difficulty and the smallest cost of
life. We are just as anxious for peace
as you, but 1t must be an honorable
peace, otherwise we will fght-fght
until the last man falls"
~w
Ex-Representative and Ex-Judge
Springer, accompanied three Indian
chiefs to the White House, where
they went to present petition asking
the President to withhold his signature
to the proclamation opening the
Kiowa, Commanche and Apache
Indian reservation to settlement un-