The Savannah morning news., 1901-01-06
THE NEXT HOUSE
<,oNGREssMEN DISCUSS APPOR-
TIONMENT.
soUTH'S REPRESENTATION.
r1TTu.EFIELD's HARD FIGHT FOR
MAINE.

Hopkins willing to COncede an Adj
ditionaI Representative to Flor
ida, Colorado and North Dakota.
shattuc Insists That Representa-
tion BE Reduced in States Where
Right to Vote Is AbridGed-Lin-
ney Tells of Elections in North
Carolina.
washington, Jan. 5.-The feature of the
debate upon the reapportionment bill in
the House to-day was a two-hours' speech
nv Mr.. Littlefeld of Maine, in favor of
the Bureigh bill. to increase the member
shin of the House to 3S6. He had a num-
her of sharp exchanges with Mr.. Hopkins,
chairman of the Census Committee, in
which he sustained his reputation as a
hard hitter and vigorous debater.
The other speakers to-day were Messrs.
shattuc, Republican, of Ohio; Klutz, DEM
ocrat. Of North Carolina; Fox, Democrat,
of Mississippi; Sutherland, Populist, of
Nebraska; Linney, Republican, of North
Carolina; Olmstead, Republican, of Penn
evlvania, and Miers, Democrat, of Indi-
ana.
During the course of the day Mr.. Hop
kns expressed willingness to accept an
amendment to his bill which would give
al additional representative each to
Florida Colorado and North Dakota, the
three states with majority fractions un-
recognized in his bill. He claims assured
victory for his bill, but the advocates of
the Burleigh bill insist almost as conf
IDENTIFY that the Hopkins bill will be
beaten.
MIR. Littlefeld began the debate with
an argument in favor of the Burleigh bill.
Mr. Littlefeld declared that the Hopkins
bill could properly be entitled IAN act to
cripple the state of Maine in her repre-
sentation in the House and in the cleo
toral college" He resented what he term
ed Mr. Hopkins assault" upon the state
of Maine. That statement drew from Mr..
Hopkins an indignant denial, which led
to sharp exchange between the two
members.
Mr.. Littefeld sarcastically called Mr..
Hopkins attention to the men who like
Lovejoy and Fuller had gone to Illinois
10 give ulSlluCNlOn " Lndt SldNS' ASl,
said he, 1.-The gentleman's speech yester-
day was saturated with a pettifogging
assault upon Maine"
After sharper exchange than usual with
Mr. Hopkins, the chair was obliged to call
the gentlemen to order and TO call atten-
ton to the rule which provides that the
gentleman on the floor cannot be inter-
rupted without the consent of the other,
and also 10 the rule that members cannot
address each other by the second person.
MIR. Shattuc of Ohio followed Mr.. Little
field. He insisted that in making the re-
apportionment the representation should
be reduced in all states where the right
TO vote is abridged. He claimed ten
states abridged the suffrage to an aver
age of 20 per cent. They were California,
II per cent; Connecticut, 5-9; Delaware,
143; Louisiana, 45.S; Maine, 80; Massachu-
setts, 60; Mississippi. 10; North Carolina,
S5.7; South Carolina, As, and Wyoming, 3.4.
Mr. Klutz of North Carolina a member
OF the Census Committee, argued in favor
of the Hopkins bill. The real question at
issue, he contended, was whether the
membership of the House should be IN
creased. He favored 357 because he
thought the House was already large
enough, and because on that basis there
would be no partisan advantage to either
party, either in the House or in the cleo
toral college.
Mr.. Fox of Mississippi, replied to the
attacks upon the Southern states, especial
ly defending the action of his state in
adopting her new constitution.
Mr.. Linney, Republican of North Car
oina. argued that under their 'oaths to
support the constitution members in vot-
ing upon the reaportionment question
must take cognizance of the abridg-
ment of the suffrage in the Southern
q ri nj
tion of Democratic election methods in
North Carolina, scoring the Democrats
mercilessly for their action. He was es-
pecially severe in his condemnation of
their course in calling the Legislature to-
gether last summer to pass law to pre-
vent the issue of writs of mandamus.
Mr. Sims, Democrat of Tennessee, asked
If the real cause of the alleged crimes re-
cited by Mr.. Linney was not to
prevent negro domination.
Mr.. Linney declared that the fear of me-
gro domination was pure rot that all
pretext of such fear could be destroyed
by requiring all officers of the state and
county to give bond.
Did the Republicans of North Carolina
ever elect negro TO the supreme bench
OF the state?" asked Mr.. Gaines of Tenn
essee
They never did and they never will"
replied Mr.. Linney, but the Democrats.
10 serve their purpose would appoint a
negro or a monkey" daughter and APP
plause)
Mr.. Linney declared that II was The love
OF power which led the Democrats Of the
state to commit crimes against the bal
BOT.
Mr.. Small, Democrat of North Carolina.
asked II Mr.. Linney charged fraud in his
district
How many negroes are there in your
districtT' asked Mr.. Linney.
L do not know, but the negroes have
not majority" replied Mr.. Small.
Then" replied Mr.. Linney quickly, "it
is possible that you may have squeezed
through by leaving hair on both sides of
the hole without stealing" Oaughter.)
-S-<e-S-
WANT vkEruv uourr ACouuDrn