Evening star., 1902-03-18
The Crumpacker Resolution.

The republicans of the House should not
permit themselves to be misled by the
criticisms with which the proposition to in
yestigate the conditions of the suffrage
throughout the Union is received. The
Crumpacker resolution is founded on justice
and right and 1t should prevail. 1t has
for it's object fair distribution of political
power among the states in Congress and In
the electoral college, and at the same time
a yindication of the Constitution of the
United States Why should such an OBJ
ject be opposed by anybody? And, by the
way. by whom is the resolution opposed on
the first morning of the announcement that
f. yorablo action by the House is to be
taken?
Mr. Bryan. by courtesy, may be placed
a. the head Of the list. Naturally. as a
presidential candidate relying for success
upon electoral votes which it is contended
are cast by certain states in excess of their
proper proportion on the constitutional ba-
sis. he is opposed in his heart, and on both
personal and partisan grounds, to an inquiry
which may lead 10 reduction in such rep
reSentation in the electoral college. The
alportionment of electoral votes to the solid
south which was good enough for him in
1896 and in 1900 will be good enough for
him If fortune smiles again in 1904.
Mr.. Bryan is. however, careful to avoid
the suspicion which attaches to one who
promptly and loudly shrieks that he is hit,
when inquiry to ascertain whether the
Constitution has been violated is proposed.
He sees no objection to an inquiry which IS
not sectional and which gives the oppor-
trnity to expose northern violations of the
constitutional provision as well as those
charged against certain southern states.
OF course no other kind of inquiry is pro-
posed or should be tolerated. If 1t can be
shown, for instance, that Massachusetts or
Rhode Island is violating the constitutional
command concerning suffrage as well as
Louisiana or Alabama, for example, the
constitutional reduction of representation
mGss be applied impartially to all.
Mr.. Hill is in opposition distinctly as a
candidate If he is nominated for the pres
iGency in 1904 his hopes will lie in the
south. a certificate of election signed by
excessively represented states of that sec
ton and by reconstructed Tammany Hall
will be good enough for him. The consti-
tutionality of the support given will not dis
turb seasoned campaigner like the sage
of Albany. However, the alarm which he
expresses is based upon an imaginary fed
eral law of the future and not upon the
proposed inquiry
Mr.. German apparently resents the reso
luton as a personal affront. The author
and beneficiary of a trick ballot, he cannot
but view with alarm" any proposition to
mike elections fair and the count prompt
and correct. Besides. he fancies he sees in
tie subject something capable of being
twisted into revival of talk about a force
bill. and out of that he might capitalize for
present uses the part he took in the defeat
OF the Lodge bill in 1890. Out of touch
with his party on the subjects of finance
and taxation. he anxiously scans the hori-
zon from day to day for the appearance Of
some issue which Will make him feel a
little comfortable at home. He makes the
mistake, however, of treating mild and in
noCuous resolution of inquiry as force bill,
and frantically calling upon his party to re-
ST il as such. There is damaging con-
f,ssion involved in such desperate partisan
r. sistance to mere inquiry.
Appropriately enough. Mr.. Underwood Of
Alabama will lead the opposition in the
House. He was chairman of the committee
which put through the new state consti-
tuition of Alabama with it's grandfather
clause and all that He will be but up
holding here what he did at home. and but
asking that the country's affairs be regu-
ldteO dCCOrQlnS 20 the successful Alabama
Program
1t is curious and instructive to note the
variations of treatment of the Crumpacker
resolution by the presidential candidates who
will rely for success upon the electoral
votes of states believed to be dispro-
portionately and unconstitutionauy repre-
scnted at this time in the electoral college.
King Edwards court leyee was a great
success. but he will not be permitted to
visit ireland. This would indicate that his
advisers intend that he shall shine as a
Society man rather than as a statesman.
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Col. Bryan can never accuse David B.