The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1901-07-17
FROM THE NATIONS CAPITAL.
From Our O.On Correspondent.

1
| WASHINGTON, d. c., July 49,, 1901.
1t is generally admitted here that
from whatever standpoint the matter
is regarded, the action of the Ohio
Democratic Convention in refusing to
honor, and. ia fact, in hissing the pic
ture of w. j. Bryan, cannot but be
considered of vital interest to the
party. Ohio was strongly Bryanite in
1897. adopting :tss :.tss ffIoo silver plank Of
the Chicago Convention as whole.
Now, in its frat convention after Bry-
an's second defeat, it abandons him.
The question, of course. is whether
this shows d widespread feeling in the
country or is confined to Ohio alone
It is considered probable that the
demonstration was really INTENDED,
merely as reputation Of free silver,
the conditions in regard to which have
80 radically changed, and the insist
ence On which has alienated such q
large proportion of the German vote
OF the State, to which the Democrats
hitherto have always catered. With
the exception of the studied neglect of
free silver, it cannot be pointed out
that the convention adopted anything
which Mr. Bryan would not favor, and
most Of it's planks he has hitherto ex-
pressed himself as advocating, in effect
if not in words. The general feeling
among Democrats here is that Bryan
is losing his hold on the party.
Erroneous reports have been sent out
stating that the Census bureau has
already completed statistics as to the
number of illiterate negro men over 81
years of age in some of the States.
This is incorrect; these figures will not
be ready until later. The bureau,
however, has sent out bulletin cover
ing sex, nativity and color in the first
half dozen States, alphabetically con-
sidered, in the country. These chow
that the negro is holding his own in
this country, that is, the negro popula-
tion is increasing about as rapidly as
is the white population, except as to
the additions made by immigration.
The proportion OF negroes in the coun-
try is decreasing; but this is because of
the large influx of white immigrants.
From the figures at hand, it seems
probable that the negro population of
the United States in 1900 was between
0,000,0 600 and 9,O50,000. Estimates based
on the ratio that the negro bears to the
total in the States already counted,
give about 100000. If correct. this
will make the negro constitute 11.S per
cent of the total population of the
country, as against 11.0 q decade ago,
the loss being due to the greater growth
of the Northern States, and not to any
less proportion of negroes in the South.
No border State has yet been counted,
and it is we'll known that there has
been an enormous increase in the col
ored population in these during the
last year.
While no real concealment was made
last fall Of the fact that President Nc
Kinley ano Mark Hanna made special
and successful effort to defeat Repre-
sentative Lentz, of Ohio, for re-elec-
ton, fearing the wide publicity his post
in Congress gave to his biting attacks
on their policies, nevertheless, the
news that h1r. Lentz purposes to sum-
mon them both to testify in his contest
for his seat before the House Commit
tee on Elections, has caused sensa-
ton here. So far as is known, Presi-
dent has never been summoned by a
House Committee, and it is doubtful
whether the power is possessed to call
on one. Senators have often appeared
before such committees, but it is
question whether they can be compelled
to come against their Wills. OF course,
neither the President nor Mr. Hanna
can afford 10 be cross examined as to
their acts in the Ohio campaign if there
is any way of avoiding it.
The terms of the proclamation of the
President opening to settlement lands
in Oklahoma, ceded by the Indians,
offer an opportunity for land pirates,
of which advantage is already being
taken by many of those gentry. Thou
sau,ls of old soldiers have sent their
names to attorneys out there for use in
the scramble for homesteads. Not one
of these probably has the slightest in
tention of settling on the lands. The
general land laws of the Un;tes. States
provide that an honorably discharged
soldier or sailor who makes declara-
tien and enters upon a Homestead cluim
shall receive the benefit of hia term of
service in counting the time necessary
for residence on the homestead in order
to acquire title. 1t is necessary for the
ordinary citizen to live five years ON u
Homestead tract in order to acquire
title. The proclamation inst iasu-d
provides that all applications shall be-
numbered and made in person, except
in the case of honorably discharged
Rnldiara and sail0ra yrhn9nnu na1.a m