The Savannah morning news., 1902-02-11
AFTER The SOUTH
REPUBLICANS HOLD SECOND SUI
FRAGE CAUCUS.
HAD NO QUORUM, HOWEVER.
LEADERS OPPOSED THE RABID
MAJORITY.

Speaker Henderson Took No Part,
but His Leutenants Took De-
eidedly Conservative COurse--Mr.
Cannon Strongly Opposed the
Crumpacker ResoIutiOn-The Sem
ate Would Not Pass the Bill, He
Said. and Its Agitation Would
Only Injure the Negro.
Washington, Feb. 10.-The second
caucus of the House Republicans to
consider the question of action looking
to reducing the congressional represen-
tation of the Southern states which
abridge the suffrage, was held in the
Hall of Representative tonight, but
a quorum was not present, and after
two and a half hours of discussion the
caucus adjourned until next Monday
without action. 1t requires 1O1 Repub-
licans to constitute a quorum of the
caucus, and at no time tonight were
over ninety-five Republicans in attend
ance. Speaker Henderson was present
for a short time, but took no part in
the proceedings, and left early to keep
>
Mr.. Payne of New York, Mr.. Cannon
and Mr.. Dalzell, We're present, however,
and threw the weight of their1nfuence
in favor of a conservative course. Mr..
Cannon was opposed to action on the
ground that it could only result in agi-
tation. In the only test of strength
made the friends of action had a major
ity of twenty votes.
Mr.. Crumpacker of Indiana, at the
outset, offered the following modifica-
tion of his resolution of last week:
Resolved, That it is the sense of
this caucus that the Committee on
Rules report resolution as a substi-
tute for those now pending in said
committee providing in substance that
a select committee be appointed by the
committee consisting of eleven mem
bers, whose duty it shall be, and who
shall have full and complete power, to
investigate and inquire into the valid
ity of election laws and the manner
of their enforcement in the several
states and whether the right to vote
of male inhabitants of any of. the
states, 81 years of age and being citi-
zens of the United States, is denied or
in any manner abridged, except for
crime and such committee shall re-
port the results of its investigation at
as early date as is practicable and
it shall be authorized to report ait any
time, by bill or otherwise, such meas
ure as the facts so found may justify.
Resolved, That measures so re-
ported by said committee shall be ad-
visory only unless otherwise ordered
by future action of the caucus"
TaxIer Makes an Assertion.
Mr.. Tayler of Ohio, in the course of
an argument in support of the Crum-
packer resolution, made the interesting
statement that when the Southern
states were admitted to representation
after the war is was on the express
understanding that none of them would
later deprive any citizen or class OF
citizens of the right to vote. He con-
tended that in subsequently abridg-
ing the right to vote some of the South
ern states had violated the provisions
of the act of June 25, 1868. Mr.. Shat
tuck of Ohio, after Mr. Tayler had
concluded, called his attention to the
fact that in the former caucus the OPP
position did not show it's hand until
after all the advocates of action had
expended their ammunition, and he
suggested that the friends and ene-
mics speak alternately.
His remarks were directed at Mr.
I Cannon, who was chairman of the
caucus. Mr.. Cannon thereupon relin-
quished the gavel and took the floor
with an earnest plea for conservatism.
He took the position that no legisla-
tion could result from action by the
House; that the Senate would not pass
hot I4 ~ L.
agitation which would injure and not
benefit the negro in the South. He
contended, as he did last week, that
the attempt to pass the force bill in
the Fifty-first Congress had resulted
in the defeat of the Republicans in the
Congressional elections.
Mr.. Dick of Ohio strongly contro-
verted this latter statement, and,
moreover urged that no matter what
the political effect-might be the Repub-
licans of Congress should do their
duty Mr.. Grow of Pennsylvania, the
venerable ex-Speaker of the House
supported the Crumpacker resolution
but took issue with Mr. Tayler as to
the act of June 25, 1865 which, he con-
tended, was not binding upon the
Southern states. Mr.. Morrell of Penn
sylvania, offered the following substi-
tute for the Crumpacker resolution:
Resolved, That a committee, COM
posed of six members of this caucus
be appointed by the chairman to work
In conjunction with the above COM
mittee, which committee of six shall
report to a future caucus such infor-
nation and finding of facts as may
be secured by said investigation"
MIR. Payne's Resolution.
Mr. Payne, the floor leader of the
majority, offered the following resolu-
ton:
Resolved. That all resolutions pend
ing before the Republican caucus be
referred to the Republican members
of the Select Committee on the Cen
sus House OF Representatives, which
committee has. under the rules Of the
House. jurisdiction Of the subject mat
ter before the caucus. and that leave
to said Republican members be given
to report, touching the premises, TO the
Republican caucus Of the House al
any time"
FIe forced a show OF hands on this
resolution and the vote resulted 30
ayes and 80 noes. The vote developed
the fact that a quorum was not pres
ent and the caucus adjourned until