The Van Buren press., 1901-02-16
Fierce Fight Will be- Made in Favor
of Cutting Down Representation
Of the South Next Session.


been popularity supposed to be the most
interested, but also of the senate.
In the latter body the credentials OF
Senator Simmons, Of North Carolina
have been objected to and they have
been filed merely for reference, with
strong hints that they will be seriously
fought in the next congress Similar
attacks will, it Is rumored, be made on
Senators Tillman, of South Carolina
McLaurin, of Mis- 'isippi, and Foster,
Louisiana. representing the three other
states where negroes are DISTINGUISHED
Senator McConas, of Maryland, is TAX
ing prominent pat in this, because
there is talk of adopting sim lar re-
stricting law in Maryland, which would
throw the state to the Democracy and
elect u Democrat to the senate two years
from now.
The house committee on census has
called on Director Merriam for state
ment rs to the extent to which suffrage
is abridged, and he has just informed
the committee that he cannot possibly
submit 1t before April LIST. Consequent
ly, the subject has been allowed to go
over with the promise that 1t will be
taken up then.
In the senate, 1t would seem, the fight
can come to nothing beyond the stirring
up of sectional feeling. the Republicans
being bound by their precedent In the
Hayes electoral commission that con-
gress has no right to 60 behind the
returns. There Is much doubt, how.
ever. as to what the Republicans will
not do They have thrown precedent
to the winds so often that anything is
possible. Along this line Senator
Foraker expressed himself recently to
the effect that the credential of any
senator elected by u legislature "una
constitutionally'' chosen would be sub
ject to close scrutiny. LAS long as
this matter is confined within bounds, -
he said, las long MS only those states
are affected which have u predominant
negro population and the real US we'll rs
the ostensible object of disfranchise'
ment law is to prevent the possibility of
negro domination, as has been the case
to the present time, there is great dis
inclination on the part of the northern
states to take any step authorized by
the fourteenth and fifteenth amend
ments to the constitution. But there is
limit to everything, and the Democrats
should not strain 1t in this case.
Maryland is u border state aud the
negro population Ia comparatively 80
small that by no means could the plea
be set up that Maryland was forced to
take some such step to protect herself
against negro domination, 1t would
be done simply to make the state Demo-
cratic. | do not say that this case
would precipitate action, but | am sure
that 1t would go far in that direction.
ALREADY the advisability of congress
sional action action has been largely
discussed and every additional case
casts fresh fuel on the fire, and states
passing such laws may awake to find
themselves short number Of electoral
votes and number Of members Of
congress, -
Mr., CrumpacRer, OF Indiana, who is
one Of the prime movers In the direction
of II reduction Of representation from
the South, says.
"While am not accurately advised :,
| believe that ut present the average
number Of persons constitutionally en-
titled to the ballot In the house IL
reduced one.half
1.-The practice Is spreading, for here
comes Maryland, following 1t Virginia,
then West Virginia, and then Kentucky
Everyone can realize that the excuse Of
fear OF negro domination cannot hold
good IN such cases as Maryland and
West Virginia. Suppose the Democrats
should capture West Virginia some day
and attempt the same proceedings Ms
are proposed In Maryland, Why, /,
would mean that West Virginia would
be lost to the Republican party for all
time TO come,
The stumbling-block In the way Of all
attempts to reduce the representation Is
found In the foreign vote Of the North
Unnaturalised foreignere are counted
In the census, and representation IL
based on them, but they are not allowed
to vote any more than the negroes are,