The Newberry herald and news. (Newberry, S.C.) 1884-1903, 1902-03-21
Republicans Adopt
Crumpacker'S Scheme.
TO INVESTIGATE NEGRO DISFRAN-
CHIsEMENT IN THE SOUTH.
Democrats Will Fight Hard Every Device
Of Parliamentary Procedure May be
Invoked to Defeated Passage
of the Resolution.


Washington, March II. - The
house committee on rules by g
divided vote on party lines today de-
cided to report the resolution OF
Representative Crumpacker, of ln-
diana, for special committee of IL
members to investigate and report
on the alleged disfranchisement OF
voters in some of the States.
The two Democratic members OF
the committee, Representatives Rich
ardson, of Tennessee, and Under
wood, of Alabama, protested against
reporting the resolution. When 1t
was ordered to be reported by the
affirmative votes of the Republican
members of the committee, Speaker
Henderson and Representatives Dal-
zell and Grosvenor, the Democrats
of the committee consulted their COL
leagues on the floor of the house and
began considering the advisablllty OF
expressing their dissent by resortlng
IN the most extreme device of par
liamentary procedure, even TO the
extent of stopping the regular pro-
cedure of t house. That this ex-
treme shall be taken has not yet been
decided upon, as Messrs. Richardson
and Underwood, after conferring with
other Democratic me mbers, stated
that action of the character contem-
plated should not be taken unless
there is the most complete concur
renee by the entire minority and a
determination in advance to make a
most determined contest. To this
end it is the intention to submit the
matter to Democratic caucus proba
bly on Wednesday night. A caucus
already has been called for that night
to consider the Boer war Under
the caucus rules it will require unanl
nous consent to consider anything
outside of the Boer subject. But IN
view of the general sentiment among
Democratic members, it is expected
that unanimous consent will be given
to consider this disfranchisement
question. Otherwise another caucus
will be called.
One of the minority parliamenta-
rians said:
"The business of the house Is
largely done by Unanimous censent,'
the courtesy Of the minority yielding
q strict conformance to the rules.
But the minority has the power to
withhold Unanimous consent and to
REQUIRE a constitutional vote under
the rules on every question arising
Without unanimous consent, even
the approval of the journal will re-
ouire a roll call, and it will take a
week to pass a bridge bill. The
minority will be cautious in going to
this extreme and will not take such
a step unless assured in advance of
a united following. If the step is
not taken it will be only because OF
the majority resorting to such ex-
tremes."
It is stated that the movement on
the part of the minority is directed
not only against the Crumpacker
resolution, with view to contesting
it's adoption to the last extreme, but
also to other legislation so as to en-
barrass the majority at every point.
The action of the committee on
rules in favor of the Crumpacker
resolution will not be reported to the
house for abont ten days as Repre-
sentative Grosvenor who is to make
the report will be out of the city
temporarily.