The Portland daily press., 1901-01-08

tionmsnt bill was resumed, 10 was agrceu
that general debate upon the bill should
close tomorrow a. 3 O'Clock and tbs nnni
vote snouid be taken before the adjourn
ment tomorrow.
Mr.. Kitchen uf North Carolina, the
first speaker, today supported the Hop
kins bill, but said be would vote against
the amendment requiring the congress
sionaI districts in the several states 70
be "oontisuous and compact" He said
he did not believe Congress had the power
to designate the manner In which the
states han to make mp congressional dis
trIcts. MIR. Kitchen then replied at some
length to the fpeeoh made by Mr.. Linney
of North Carolina, last Saturday, attack
ing the Southern Democrats for dis
franchisipg the negroes.
Mr.. Lacey OF Iowa, who followed MI.
Kitchen. .alfo supported the Hopkins bill.
MIR. Crumpacker OF Indiana, the men,
ber Of the census committee who present.
ed the minority report In favor Of redue-
ing the representation In Southern States
uroportlonate to the abridgement Of the
franchise, then took the floor for an hour.
As between the Hopkins and Burieign
bills, he said, be favored the latter be-
cause it kept pace with the growth Of the
country. He argued that during rscsnt
years the influence OF the House In lsgis-
iation had steadily diminished, oondi-
tion due TO the fact that the members Of
the lower house allowed themselves to
be dominated by the Senate and the
Chief Executive Ii the msmbershin was to
remain stationary as the years went on
its influence would continue 70 decrease.
He then developed his argument In ia
vor OF reducing representation in certain
Southern States along the line OF his re-
port. He pointed out the voting require.
ments In Louisiana, Mississippi. North
Carolina and South Carolina, and ad-
duced figures to show that in Louisiana
48 per cent Of her male citizens over 81
years OF age were disfranchised; In Mis-
sissippi. AZ per cent; In North Carolina,
"a par cent and In South Carolina AZ per
cant
Mr.. Crumpacker was frequently inter
rupted by members Of the delegations
from Louisiana, North Carolina, south
Carolina and Mississippi. They besieged
him with questions and denied many Of
his statements.
MIR. Wilson OF South Carolina spoke In
FAVOR Of the Burleigh bill and incidental.
Iy discussed the negro question In the
South. He detailed tine lavish expendi-
ture and mis-appropriation during the
period OF the negro rule in South Caro-
ina. Inc worthy and industrious me-
gro population. be said, was being educat-
ed and cared for In the south and it was
only against the criminal, those guilty
Of an atrocious crime against women,
that lynching was directed.
MIR. Hepburn OF Indiana, declared that
the House was M longer deliberate We
body, having become 60 bulky as to lose
its dsliberRtiye functions. Mr.. Hepburn
EXPRESSED the belief that it would be bet
ter 20 decrease, rather than increase the
size Of the House. The whole scheme
and place of the House under the Con-
stitution, Mr.. Hepburn declared, was sub
verted, destroyed and annihilated by the
rules OF tbs House. Instead of repre1ent-
ing his constituents, every member sur
rendered his political power into the
hands OF others ana was unable to be
heard on any measure without the con-
sent of officials and committees to whom
the power was surrendered.
Msinbers of the Senate were inter-
ested In seeing the House membershi ?
further increased for that carried with
1t the increase of influence and power
OF each Senator and the further domina-
tion OF the House by the Senate.
MIR. Long OF Kansas, argued in favor OF
the Burleigh bill.
Mr. Grow of Pennsylvania favored the
Hopkins bill and gave an interesting
comparison between the workings or the
House in the early days when the mem.
pership was far more limited with what
he called the disorderly and unrepresen.
tatiye character OF the body today.
MIR. Pearson OF North Carolina support
cd the Burleigh bill and argued against
the Crulnpaoker bill, SAYING the latter
would be so carried out in the South
as . to wipe out the few Repub-
lican members now coming from that
sestion. He asserted that the time was
fast coming when the disfranohissment
practicsd In the South would be wiped
ont