The age-herald., 1901-05-13

Tennessee. bitter Republican. intro duced resolution lnstruoting the judi oiary committee to bring in bill reduc- ing the number of Representatives which the States of Mississippi and South Car ollna had on account of an alleged dis franchisement Of mon as voters, con- trary to the 14th article of amendment. Judge Caswell of Wisconsin wrote fa- vorable report, which all of the Repub- lican members of the committee ap- proved. I wrote the minority report. which all of the Democrats upon the committee signed. It took the position that Congress could net reduce the rep resentation of a state until 1t ascer- tained the number who were illegally dis franchised, and that was entirely lacking; its absence killed the proposition. Mis- sissippis representation can never be re- duced. That prince of constitutional law yers, Senator George, was in her conven- tion and steered that body of learned men to sound. legal conclusions.
 MIssIssippi's Constitution.
 Many uninformed people speak of Mis- sissipprs constitution as disfranehising all of the negroes, when there n fact no mention of that race in the constitution of that State. The same test of qualifica- tions to vote Is applied to white and black alike There Is no absurd grand father clause in the constitution of that State, and hence that constitution has been passed upon and sustained by the Supreme Court of the United States The qualifications required to make man a voter in that State are much more lib- eral than l advocated in my letter for winch some of the delegates to our convention object to making me the pre- siding officer. am told they have the aid of a certain big railroad corporation to accomplish my defeat because when Governor vetoed bill which had passed the General Assembly, by questionable means, in which that company was deep- ly interested. If I am ever defeated In any of my aspirations for refusing to be influenced to act contrary to my duty, or for expression of my honest opinion as to the best interests of the people, can stand 1t without humiliation. When I know that I am right, I never grieve if others adhere to a different conclusion. A conciousness of duty faithfully per- formed Is worth more to me than the plaudits of men. My candidacy for the presidency of the convention is not matter of ambition with me, but because in that position I believe that 1 could do more for the cause and in behalf of the people than otherwise.
 Hon. J. l.. Power, secretary of state, says that the constitution of Mississippi "does not disfranchise the negro any more than it does the white man.. It simply means that the citizen, black or white, who will not pay taxes, including the uniform poll tax of two dollars, to be used in aid of the common schools, on or before the first day of February Of the year in which he offers to vote, and who is not intelligent enough to read any section of the state constitution, or to understand the same when read to him. or give a reasonable interpretation thereof, shall not be allowed to vote. In other words, he voluntarily disfran- chises himself for the period named. In the case of the poll tax, it will be mo- ticed that mo criminal proceedings will be allowed to force its collection" The only penalty is that the delinquent can not vote. And the registration statistics of the several counties show that there are thousands of whites as well as blacks who thus disqualify themselves. And the fact that the poll tax Is school fund, and that cannot be otherwise applied, makes this delinquency all the more to be regretted.
 The total polls assessed in 1899 were 27S,- S77, which at $2 each would have made school fund of 7,754 Of this, the total collected was 2O4.S57.5O, showing that there was unpaid s253. 3.417-the delinquents being mostly negroes.
 I have faith in the delegates chosen to the convention. They will of course not agree upon every proposition, nor fully upon any mans theory as to the suffrage but after due deliberation' on satisfac- tory conclusion will be reached, and a good constitution will be framed and submitted to the people for ratification.
 WILLIAM c. OATES.