The Montgomery advertiser., 1902-03-26
AN UNFAIR IMPRESSION.

The attempt to arouse the South against this measure is nothing but a shallow device of men who are trying to regain control of the De- mocratic party, and who believe that under the cry of a force bill they will be able to take the party away from the free silver leaders and check the movement for expansion.-Lou- isville Post.
 And the attempt of an intelligent news paper like The Post to create the impress sion that there is nothing sectional in the Crumpacker resolution is absurd. True, it does not state in direct terms that it is | aimed at the South. but no such state ment was needed. If the mover of the resolution had announced that it was intended to apply only to the Southern States. it would have weakened him and defeated his object but all the circum- stances and all the discussion over it show that it was thoroughly and ma liciously sectional. And we can inform The Post further that the fact. as it as- serts, that the resolution "met with the approval of MT. Bryan." adds no strength to that papers arguments nor should it remove any of the opposition in the South to the measure. MT. Bryan may or may not have been fully informed of the na- ture of the resolution, but whether he approved it knowingly or ignorantly makes little difference It will have no effect on Southern opinion. And to show that we are not mistaken in our view of the sectional character of the measure, we append a paragraph from a recent is- sue of The Leavenworth Times, which is not only fully posted on Northern senti- ment, but may be depended on to take an unfavorable view of Southern affairs. It says:
 There would have been no investigation, no cause for complaint, had laws been impartial in their restrictions of the bal lot. As long as they are not. 1t is well for the country to know just how far South ern Democrats have gone In their viola tion of the law.
 That is certainly plain enough decla- ration, if anything further is needed, that the object-covet if not onenly avowedA of the resolution is to make an unfrend- ly investigation into the methods by which elections in the South have heen conducted. Tn fact. The Times declares in plain terms that there would have been no investigation but for the laws and Constitutional enactments of certain States in the South which have in their own way taken measures to minimize the evils of negro suffrage
 The St. Louis Globe Democrat is an other Republican paper which advocates the movement and figuratively pats Mir. Bryan on the Vback for the virtual ap- proVal which he gives 1t. In speaking of that feature of the affair. The Chatta- nooga Times says:
 MT. Bryan sees no reason why the in vestigation of State franchise laws should not be made under the Crumpacker reso- lution We see no reason why it should be made. What has Congress got to do with our State laws, anyhow? Is not this country composed of a union of States free and sovereign in themselves except for the limitations of the Federal Constitution? If our laws are in defiance of the constitution, We have courts to remedy the defects The Crumpacker resolution is nothing more nor less than the manifestation in a milder form of the underlying spirit of Republican paternal-
 
 thoFity in the Government at Washing ton. And this Is hundred fold more dangerous and significant symptom of threatened olgarchy than all of the al- legged imperialism in the expansion of ter ritory or the taking over of the Philip pines under the treaty of Paris.
 We have little reason to doubt that the investigation, if one is made, will be both partisan and sectional. The resolution requires the Speaker of the House to ap- point a<committee of thirteen members. but we see nothing to require that Demo- crats or Southern men are to be members. Even if they are, they will of course be in a minority and cannot prevent a partisan investigation. The criticisms of The Chattanooga Times are severe, but they are justified by the facts. and it's further reflections are, assuming that there will