Evening star., 1902-02-04
ACTION WAS DEFERRED
REPUBLICAN CAUCUS ON DIsFRAN-
CHIsEMENT OF VOTERS.
The Crumpaclxer Resolution Provid-
ing for Reduced Representation
Federal Election Law.

The republican members of the House of
Representatives held a caucus in the hall of
the House last night to consider a line of
policy to be adopted concerning the alleged
disfranchisement of voters in the south.
The caucus lasted from s o'clock until
shortly after II, when it was determined to
adjourn for one week to consider more fully
the different propositions brought forward.
The main discussion of the meeting
turned on resolution offered by Represen-
tative Crumpacker of Indiana, providing
for the appointment of a special committee
of the House to investigate questions of
disfranchisement. and to report remedies to
the House. This brought out several other
propositions, mainly from southern republi-
cans. who favored strong federal election
law, including enc from Representative
Bartholdt of Missouri these lines. About
12o republican members were in attendance
out of full membership of geo.
Speaker Henderson, Representative
Payne of New York. the republican floor
leader, and most of the leaders of the
House. including about all of the southern
republcanS, 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 until
nois occupied the chair, with Representative
Loudens.ager of New Jersey as secretary.
The Crumpacker Resolution.
At the outset. Mr.. Crumpacker presented
his resolution as follows:
Resolved, That it is the sense of this
caucus that the committee on rules report
resolution, as a substitute for those now
pending in said committee, providing in
substance that a select committee be ap-
pointed by the Speaker, to consist of eleven
members. whose duty 1T shall be, and who
h1 full nd NJ CT
authority, to investigate and inquire
whether the right to vote of any of the
male inhabitants of any of the states, twen-
ty-one years of age, and being citizens of
the United States. is denied or abridged by
the Constitution and laws of any state ex-
cept for crime; and if such is found to be
the fact. said select committee shall have
the right, and it shall be it's duty to report
at any time. by bill or otherwise such
measure or measures as may be necessary
to place the representation of such states in
the House of Representatives upon con-
stitutional basis
Debate on the Resolution.
Mr.. Crumpa cker supported his resolution
in a vigorous speech. urging the need of an
investigation fully authentfcating the facts
as preliminary to decisive action by Con-
gress. He was followed by Representative
Tayler of Ohio. Dayton of West Virginia,
Moody of Massachusetts,, Olmstead of Penn
sylvania, Morris of Minnesota and Shattuc
of Ohio, all in favor of the proposed inves-
tigation. 1t soon developed, however that
the southern republicans were more favora-
bic to strong election law, than any reso-
luton which contemplated a reduction of
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. Messrs BarthoTdt Of Missouri
and Rodey of New Mexico also favored the
plan of an election law.
Mr.. Cannon Urges Conservation.
After the discussion had proceeded for
some time, with little prospect of agree
ment. Chairman Cannon yielded the chair
to Mr.. Long of Kansas, and taking the
floor, made strong appeal for conserva-
tive action. He pointed out the difficulties
which had been encountered when former
force bills had been urged before Con-
gress, and he cited the incidents in the
forty-third Congress when five members of
Congress had died from the indirect efforts
of the protracted struggle over an election
law. He referred also to the agitation this
movement would occasion, and the feeling |
1t would engendeF. go" '-'-'-''
Mr.. Cannon was for postponing action, at |
least for the present, and the tenor of his |
was not favorable to any .,of the |
plans proposed: Representative Parker of |
resentative Reeves0 OF Illinois was for post |
ponement. Late in the evening Mr.. Payne, |
the floor leader, made brief speech add |
ing his view In favor of deferrins~ action |
until the question could be examined with |
more care. By this time the sentiment of |
the caucus was clearly favorable for post |
poning the subject for another week. and, |
accordingly, motion prevailed to adjourn |
the caucus until next Monday night.