The age-herald., 1901-01-05
Made Warm Speech Against Stirring Sectional Strife
NEGRO QUESTION IS BEING SOLVED
Mr. Underwood Says if the Radical Northerners Will Let the South Alone the Whole Matter Will
 be Properly Adjusted.

Washington, January 1.-The House today had another spirited struggle over the Olm- sted resolution to investigate the abridge- ment of the suffrage in certain southern states, in view to reapportionment upon the actual basis of suffrage. It was finally re- ferred to the census committee, where the opposition desired it to go originally. Some of the. Republican leaders were not in sym pathy with the resolution
 The debate upon the resolution was marked by exceeding frankness Some of the southern members avowed that the at tempt to enfranchise the negro had been a 1amentable failure, and the action of cer- : tain states in legally Eliminating the blacks as factors at the polls, they said was in the interest of civilization and progress. Mir. McDermott of New Jersey asserted that every state in the Union either added to or subtracted from the constitutional re- quirements of voters and challenged any member to show to the contrary one that did not. After the resolution had been thu disposed of, the reapportionment bill was taken up and debated by MT. Hopkins of H. linois and Mir. Shafroun of Colorado.
 MT Dalzell of Pennsylvania called the House to order in the absence of Speaker Henderson, who was detained at his home by a severe cold.
 Members on Their Feet.
 Immediately after the approval of the journay a. dozen members were on their feet demanding recognition. Among them was Mir. Olmsted of Pennsylvania, who yesterday created a stir by offering the resolution to instruct the committee on census to investigate the alleged abridge- ment of the right to vote in several south crn states But the speaker pro tenn first recognized MT. Lacey of Iowa, who pre- scented a privileged resolution asking the President to return a minor bill in which there was a clerical error. It was adopted. MT. Burton of Ohio presented the river and harbor bill. In order to clear the way for MT. Olmsted, MT. Graf of Illinois, chairman of the committee on claims, after stating that it was apparent that no claim bills could be considered today (his being the day set aside under the rule for therr considera tion) asked unanimous consent to postpone the regular order for today until next week.
 MT. Swanson of Virginia objected. The speaker pro tenn. was then about to recog- n!ze Mir. Olmsted when Mir. Underwood of Alabama headed him off with the point
 
 The House was counted, and there were but 1i2 members in the hall. Under the operation of the automatic rule the speak CT was about to direct call of the House, when MT. Underwood interposed with motion to adjourn and the filibuster was on. The vote was taken by ayes and nays.
 Motion to Adjourn Defeated.
 The motion to adjourn was defeated, S5 to 10a
 The speaker pro tenn held that the pend- ing question was the vote on the question raised as to the consideration of the Olm- stcd resolution. During the previous roll call the leaders on beth sides had con- ferred and an agreement had been reached that tho resolution should be recommitted. MT. Richardson. the minority leader, for mally proposed that this course be followed. Mir Olmsted replied that he would consid- CT the proposition after the House had voted to consider the resolution.
 T may add" said he, .tthat it had been my intention to follow the course suggest ed by the gentleman from Tennessee"
 Why not do so now and save time? asked MT. Richardson.
 But MT. Olnlsted insisted upon a vote on the question of considera ton, and the roll was accordingly called.
 The House yot ed 103 to 91 to consider the resolution, whereupon MT. Richardson moved to recommt tine resolution to the committee en census Upon MT. Richard sons motion, MT. OlmSted demanded the previous questions, and notwithstanding some dilatory tactics by the Demoerats, with assistance from several Republicans, the previous question was ordered, 102 to 9S.
 Mir Olmsted explained that his resolution had been offered, not in antagonism to any of the reapportionment bills, or to any sec- tion or state, but in order that the reap portionmen,t might be based upon the con- stitutonai provision.
 Underwood's Speech.
 MT. Underwood of Alabama made warm speech in opposition to the resolution. He had hoped, he said, that such resolution would not appear in the House. The real purpose of the fourteenth amendment had been to enfranchise the negro It had fail cd. The hfteenth amendment had been successful for time, but in the end it had proved a11amentable failure. Both amend ments had been mistakes not only to the Democratic but to the Republican party The time had come now, after the bitter ness of the war was over, when the people of the South, in fairness and justice tc themselves and to the negro race, were trying not-to oppress the negro race, but Nony to protect themselves and their prop. srty agaiiist maladministration He ad- sn!.hed his friends from the North that sd not live among the negroes and did psss~Srstand the problem to be solved.
 sths South" said he. addressing