The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1901-01-08


President approved and the Senate wac un-
| derstood TO be agreeable, 1t could be pro-
| ceeded with otherwise not. AS between
the Hopkins and the Burlsigh bin. he pre-
| ferred the latter, because it was fairer
| and a better bill II the House had a
membership Of f0o, under the rules, bust
ness would be proceeded with Just as ex-
| peditiously as at present. The national
| legislatures OF certain European countries
| are much larger than the American Con-
gress. There was nothing cabalistic in
| the hgures 357
| AS soon as Mr.. Crumpacker turned his
| attention to the proposition looking 10
the reduction in the representation of GER
tain Southern States he was bombarded
with questions from Southern members,
the Interruptions continuing until near
the end of his speech. when he declined
to yield farther. Taking UP the restric-
tions imposed by the Southern States on
the right of franchise he quoted from the
constitutions OF the several States the
provisions for DISTINGUISHING the negroes.
The State of louisiana he said had i'm
posed the very highest educational quail
fication OF any State in the Union not
withstanding the fact that its percentage
Of illiteracy was almost he highest and
its expenditures for education were al
most the lowest. The administration of
that provision, however, he said, made it
possible to apply it almost exclusively TO
the colored man. The pending bill, not
withstanding the extensive disfranchise
ment in Louisiana, gave that State IN
additional representative.
The constitutional provisions adopted ia
Mississippi, said Mr.. Crumpacker, were
for the sole purpose OF disfranch sing the
negroes, and were not for the protection
of the ballot box. The convention which
had drawn the law was composed of 1873
white men and l negro notwithstanding
the fact that the colored people in that
State outnumbered the whites by several
thousand. The effect Of the law, accord
ing to the official figures of the Census
Bureau, was to disfranchise AZ per cent
of the male population of the State of
voting age. There seemed no doubt ne
said. of the Unfairness of continuing the
present representation of the State, and
no question that its representation should
be reduced by - per cent.
The North Carolina Provision.
As to the North Carolina provision
adopted last August, and which would go
into effect in 1909, Mr.. Crumpacker said
it would disfranchise at least 80 per cent
of its male citizens over twenty-one years
of age. while the outrageous provisions
that the educational test should not be
applied TO the iineal descendants OF those
who were voters before 1867 practically
limits the disqualification to the colored
race
Replying to questions. Mr.. Crumpacker
said he did not object TO an educational
qualification, provided it applied to all
classes and races alike.
Taking up the South Carolina statutes
on franchise Mr.. Crumpacker told how
they had been adopted practically in ex-
ecutive session by a convention which did
not even submit the results OF it's labors
to the people OF that State. The peculiar
provisions providing eight ballot boxes
for general elections and making invalid
ballot placed in a wrong box. he charg-
ed, was designed to place the colored
race in absolute social and industrial sub
serviency.
Mr.. Hopkins interrupted at one point
to call attention to the majority tables, |
and Mr. Crumpacker replied: THAT is
just what / am doing. / am attacking the |
integrity and fairness of your tables"
Entering upon a defence of his own |
bill, Mr.. Crumpacker proceeded with the
argument that has been gone over many |
times before. drawing his reasons from !
the Fourteenth Amendment, which. he |
said was a mandatory provision
Mr.. Richardson of Tennessee asked IL /
the Crumpacker bill provided for a re-
duction of representation in all the
States which have adopted franchise re- |
strictions.
Mr. Crumpaeker said he had provided !
for a reduction OF representation in those
States which Rad disfranchised citizens |
Of the United States. These were North !
Carolina, South Carolina, Louisiana, and !
He had some doubt, he said, |
about Tennessee and Florida.
Mir. Wilson of South Carolina spoke /
line 4ta
to 'hoodoo" the House, he /
said. II the present membership of the |
House was 400 or 800, mir Hopkins would |
want 4G0 OF 800 for the next ten years,
the number being arbitrarily fixed without
regard to reason. He discussed the negro
question at some length, arguing that the
South took good care of the negro.
Mr.. Hepburn supports rir. Hopkins.
Mr. Hepburn supported tine bill. 1t was
absolutely impossible for any man 10
do justice to all the State he said. The
Burleigh bill was not fair one, as Iowa,
under ii would be left with a majority
fraction without representation. He
thought the question was one Of expedi-
ency and largely as to the best number for
a deliberative body. Not this body" he
said for il presents none of the features
Of a deliberatiye body" IApplausel
He referred to the interest taken by !
members Of the Senate who wished the
House 10 be enlarged, because the larger
the House the greater the relative power
Of the Senators.
I'VE are constantly augmentiug the pow
ar Of Senator's he said while they are
curtailing our own"
Mr.. Hepburn assailed the present rules
Of the House in vigorous terms, and said
The excuse for these rules was that the
House was too large. To enlarge It would
be to givesa better excuse for the vicious
system now prevailing. In reply to a
question he said he would not vote for |
an amendment which would reduce the
representation Of Iowa, put had the COM
mittee reported a bill to that effect he
would have supported it.
do you think that if this bill had come
Up two years ago." interrupted Mr.. Jones,
when Mr. Reed Of Maine was Speaker
md Mr. Dingley Of Maine was Chairman
If the Committee on Ways and Means
hat Maine would have lost a ilembcr?"
We'll do / know the power Of the
Speaker" replied Mr.. Hepburn, deliber-
itely, but / cannot say what influence
le would have had on the Census Com
nittee."
Mr.. Hepburn then scored the rules ac-
:using the House of having delegated its
powers to one man. u have no COM
plants to make against the admiuistra-
ton OF these powers" he said, but /
am quarrelins with ourselves"
Mr. Long of Kansas followed against the
Hopkins bill. addressing himself largely :
% Mr. Hepburn's speech.
Mr.. Grow. the venerable ex-Speaker Z
,rgued against any increase OF the mem