Evening star., 1901-11-23
Question Of Reducing Southern Rep
resentation
WILL BE OPENED EARLY In SESSION
Some Recent Census Figures as
to Voting Negro Males.
NEW APPO RTION NJ T n T

at tnlS session OF congress OF the pTopoSi-
ton advanced last session to cut down the
| representation in the House of the southern
| states which disfranchise the negro. l.
will be remembered that Mr.. Olmsted of
Pennsylvania and Mr.. Crumpacker of In
diana started a crusade last Congress to
accomplish that purpose, but which failed
through opposition from high republican
sources.
II is expected the subject will be reopened
Immediately after Congress assemblies. Ii
would probably be saying too much to state
that immediate success is hoped for by
even the most sanguine advocates of the
legislation. They believe. however, they
will be able to draw public attention to the
alleged misrepresentation of the southern
states in such a way as to possibly bring
results in the future
Recent Census Figures.
Some recent figures promulgated by the
census bureau will be used in the propa-
ganda They relate to the number of negro
males of voting age in the southern states,
as counted by the census enumerators.
These figures are compared with the num-
Der Of republican votes counted in those
states and deductions drawn which would
seem to indicate that some negro votes are
overlooked in the deal.
The republican campaign committee is
likely, it is said, to encourage the move
ment. The congressional campaign commit
tee for long time has complained of the
handicap it bears at the beginning of every
congressional campaign, through the over
representation of the southern states. The
situation will be even worse in the future,
under the new appointment act the
southern states actually gain six more rep
reSentatiVeS in Congress. Texas gets three,
Mississippi one, louisiana one and florida
one.
The Importance of the next congressional
campaign has frequently been pointed o,;t,
and it is being more fully realized every
day that there will be desperate struggle
between the parties for control of the next
House. Aside, therefore, from the Consti-
tutional principles involved, which Mr..
Crumpacker and Mr.. Omsted say inspire
their motives. political questions may have
important bearing upon the movement.
The census figures make interesting read
ing for those concerned in the contemplated
proceedings. All the southern states make
a showing in the census figures rejecting
his franchise possibly the interest some
one else takes in his franchise.
What Election Returns Show.
Arkansas contains voting negro popu-
lation of 81 157. In 1898, in the congress
sonal elections, 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
circumstances, they did not consider it
worth while to run for the office.
In Alabama. in 1900, there were 1S1.471
male negroes Of voting age. In the con-
gressional elections of 1898 the republican
vote counted in all the districts aggregated
1854. Alabamas new constitution dis
franchises portion of the negro popula-
ton, the illiterates. The census returns
show, however, that there were 73, 1913 liter
ate negroes in the state who will be en-
from Alabama will be watched with some
interest by the republicans
Only 1895 republican votes were counted
in Florida in the congressional elections of
1898. There were 61,417 male negroes Of
voting age in the state in 1900. according
to the United States census.
Georgia was another state where repub-
lican candidates for Congress were omitted
from the ticket in some Of the districts
seven, in fact There We're 223, ,073 negroes
Of voting age in that state and the total
republican vote counted was 6,72S
Louisana's total male negroe population
of voting age was 147 34S. The total repub-
lican vote counted was 2.754. Louisiana has
an educational qualification, and the census
declares that 81 ,456 negroes were literates.
Mississippi counted 1,227 republican votes
with voting negro population of 197, ,936.
There were 92,1S3 literates among them.
In the Carolinas.
It is difficult to estimate the situation in
North Carolina, owing to the existence Of
large white republican population, and the
fact that the populists, who are mainly
white men, voted the republican ticket in
many instances. There are 1911 negroes
of voting age in the state, and the total
vote cast. in opposition to the democratic
candidates for Congress was 100. CAS-
South Carolina contains 152,S6O male
negroes entitled to vote. The total repub-
lican vote counted for Congress in 1898
was 2299.
Virginia has 146122 male negroes of vot-
ing age. The total republican vote for
Congress counted in 1898 was 4G,S93.
Shortly before Congress adjourned last
session a resolution passed the House call
ing upon the director of the census for
statistics of the negro voting population of
the southern states. The figures will be
supplied as soon as Congress meets, and
will be referred to the committee on the
census or one Of the committees on cleo
ton. probably the one of which Mr.. Ohm
sted may be chairman.
Changes In Interior Denartmeut