The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1901-11-29
TO FUSS ABOUT
SOUTHERN VOTE.
REPUBIICaNS WII.LkEVIVE PROPOSE
TION TO CUT q II REPRESENTA-
TION IN CONGRESS
Census and Election Figures Show the Ne.
gro La Not Exercising Ills Right to Vot,
According to tho Various State Laws
Therefore tho K"puhlicnna Would
Punish tho South.

certainly bo renewed agitation at
this session Of Congress Of the propo.
sltion advanced last session to cut
down the representation IN the House
Of the Southern States which dis
franchise the negro. 1t will be re.
membered that Mr.. Olmsted of Penn
sylvania and Mr.. Crumpecker of In
diana started crusade last Congress
to accomplish that purpose, but
which failed through opposition from
high Republican sources.
1t is expected the subject will be
reopened Immediately after Congress
assemblies. 1t would probably be
saying to much too state that imme.
date success is hoped for by oven
the most sanguine advocates of the
legis' alton. Thoy believe, however,
they will be able to draw public at
tention to the alleged ovor represen-
= way as to possibly bring results in
the future.
Some recent figures promulgated
by the census bureau will be used in
the propaganda. They relate to the
number of males of voting age in the
Southern States, as counted by the
census enumerators. These figures
are compared with the nunbor of
Rernblicnr votes counted in those
States, and dedu,tions drawn which
would seem to Indicate that some
negro votes are overlooked in the
deal.
The Republican campaign COM
mittee is likely, it is said, to encour-
age the movement. The Congress.
ional campaign committee for long
time has complained of the handicap
it bears at the beginning of every
Congressional campaign through the
er-reprcsentation of the Southern
States. The situation will be even
worse in the future, as under the
new appointment act the Southern
States actually gain six moro repre-
resentatives in Congress. Texas gets
three, Mississippi one, Louisiana one
and Florida one.
The Importance Of the next Con-
gressional campaign has beon fre-
quently pointed out, and it is being
moro fully realized every day that
there will be a desperate struggle
between the parties for the control
of the next House. Aside therefore,
from tho constitutional principle
%, involved, which MIR. Crumpacker and
Dr. Olmsted say inspires their mo-
sives, political questions may have
pimportant bearing upon tho move,
ment.
The census figures make interest
ing reading for those concerned in
the contemplated proceedings. All
the Southern States making show
ing in the census figures rejecting
either upon the interest the negro
takes in his franchise or possibly
the interest someone elso takes in
his franchise.
WHAT ELECTION RETURNS SHOW.
Arkansas contains voting negro
voting population of 87,l57. In
1893, in the Congressional oloctionss
the total Republican vote counted in
that State WAS 2,7OG. 1t is true
that in some of the districts there
were no Republican candidates for
Congress-; in the circumstance they
did not consider it worth while to
run for tho Office.
In Alabama in 1900 there were
lS1 All male negroes of voting age.
10 the congressional elections of
1903 the Republican vote counted in
all the districts aggregated 1864.
Alabama's new constitution dsfran-
\ chises a portion of the negro popula-
ton, the illiterates. The census re-
I turns show, however, that thero we're
4 1888 literate negroes in the State
81 who will be entitled to vote. The
3 next election return from Alabama
@ will be watched with sor , interest
W oy the Republicans.
N Only 1926 Republican votes we're
IS counted in Florida in the Congress-
W onal elections of 1903. There were
0l'4l7 male negroes Of voting age