Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1902-02-04
orunpaCksr Presents Resolution api Plead,
Urgent Necessity.
SOUTH FAvORs STRONG rltcTloa LAW
Declares AEairs. Any R.iustisa Of State
R.prsssatatiss.
LONG OF KANSAS ARGUES Fsa CAUTION
Deprecates Stirring Up Aeitation sueh
as that OF Forty-Third conEress,
which Caused Indirectly Death
of Five ConEressmen.

WASHINGTON, Feb. 3.--The republican
members OF the house OF representative.
had a caucus In the hall Of the house to-
night to consider the line Of policy TO be
adopted concerning the alleged disfranchise-
ment OF voters in the south The caucus
lasted from o'clock until shortly after H.
II was determined to adjourn for one week
to consider more fully the various PROPOSE
tions brought forward
The main discussion Of the meeting turned
on resolution offered by Representative
crumpaoker of Indiana, providing for the
appointment Of a special COMMITTEES OF the
house 10 investigate questions OF disfran-
chisement and to report remedies to the
house This brought out several other
propositions. mainly from southern repub-
licans. who favored strong federal cleo
tion law. including enc from Representa-
tive Bartholdt Of Missouri. on these lines.
One hundred and twenty-five republican
members were In attendance out OF full
membership of 200. Speaker Henderson.
Representative Payne Of New York. the re-
publican floor leader. and most Of the lead
ers Of the house, including about all the
southern republicans, were present. The
gathering was not as numerous as had been
desired, however. owing to the bad weather
and private engagements. and this was one
Of the main reasons for deferring action.
Representative Cannon Of Illinois occupied
the chair. with Representative Louden-
slayer of New Jersey as secretary.
Crunpacker's Resolution.
AT the outset Mr.. crumpacker presented
his resolution. as follows;
Resolved, That II Is the sense OF this
caucus that the committee Of rules report
pending in said committee, providing in
substance that select cornmittee be APP
pontee ey & she spednsr d 20 S 9nsS Of nS eevsn sn
shority. thor s to T inyestisste and inquire into
a Iss' Sss ans hs 81 ses as
q years OF age. and being citizens Of the
] the constitution and laws Of any state ex-
/ cept Tor crime ard y such Y found e he
the the r.St said S i, selsSt HttSs sclr hay9
| at any time. by bin or otherwise. sich
! measure or measures as may be necessary
IN the house OF representatives. on con-
| stitutional basis.
Urges Nsed of InvestiEation.
MIR. Crumpacker supported his resolution
In vigorous speech. urging the need Of an
investigation fully authenticating the facts
as a preliminary to decisive action by con-
gress. He was followed by Representative
Taylor of Ohio, Dayton OF West Virginia.
Olmstead Of Pennsylvania, Morris OF Min
nesota and Shattuc OF Ohio, all in favor Of
the proposed investigation.
1t soon developed, however, that the
southern republicans were more favorable
to a strong election law than to any reso-
luton which contemplated reduction OF
membership from the south.
The southern men who spoke against the
resolution and in favor of federal election
law included Representatives Blackburn
and Moody Of North Carolina. and Gibson
| Of Tennessee.
Bartholdt OF Missouri. and Rodney of New
Mexico also favored the plan Of an ciec-
tion law.
Chairman Cannon Pleads Cautson.
After the discussion had proceeded for
some time, with little prospect Of agree
ment, Chairman Cannon yielded the chair
to Mr.. Long OF Kansas, took the floor and
made a strong appeal sor conservative ac-
ton. He pointed out the difnculties which
had been encountered when former force
bills had been urged before congress, and
he cited the incidents in the Forty third
congress, when five members Of congress
had died from the indirect effects Of the
protracted struggle over an election law
He referred also to the agitation this move
ment would occasion, and the feeling Il
would engender. Mr. Cannon was for
postponing action. Ut least for the present
and the tenor OF his remarks was mol
favorable to any OF the plans proposed
Representative Parker Of New Jersey alss
opposed action. and Representative Rseve'
OF Illinois was for postponement. Late IL
the evening Mr.. Payne. the floor leader
made a brief speech, adding his view II
favor OF deferring action until the ques
tion could be examined with more carr
BY this time the sentiment Of the caucui
was clearly favorable for postponing th'
subject for another week. Accordingly 1
motion prevailed TO adjourn the caucui
until Monday night