The Washington bee., 1902-02-08
Give Us Justice.

which met on last Monday TO coh-
slider tn matter Of representation
in the House from those states
which have Disseminated against
colorsd voters, seems to favor a
thorough discussion and just deter
mination of tho subject. The
Crumpacker resolution was taken
up and after some discussion aud
much conference it was agreed TO
resume the discussion on next
Msnday evening. Whatever may
be the considerations Of policy,
certainly the principles involved in
the rights of American citizenship
demand i'm Immediate, vigorous action
on the part Of all lovers of right
and coed government, and 1t Is
high time to begin the treatment
of the subject,
The resolution is IN she nature
of two-sdgsd sword. In the first
place it constitutes = select COM
mittee of eleven to inquire whether
the right of citizenship is being
abridged or denied by the COnsti-
tuition of any state and in the sec
Ond place requires that if such Is
the case, the Committee shall re-
port such measures or bills as may
be d, emed necessary to place the
representa- ION Of such states upon
q constitutional basis.
There may be some objections
to cutting down the representation
from the South, not because tnaI
sectIsa Is emitted TO It's present
quota, but because 1t would give
sanction TO the acts sl states which
are against The spirit ami truo IN
tenI OF the Constitution of The
United SJa;es. Ihe right Of suf-
frage bolng one of the most I'M
pJr.anG adjuncCs 10 effective elLl-
Zeushlp and Is exercise one of the
strongest bu.warAS Of liberty, auy
Endorsement Of wholesale dIstrau-
chiSemsnJ WOuId seem uurepubn-
can as well As ia IgsrOuS and un-
wise. Bat the first part Of the
resolution which Instltu Is all IN
quiry into the matter as TO whether
Certain sIates are denying and
abrIdgIng the rights oI = Ger ain
class of American ciizsus ig time
Iy, CONSTANT with principles and
sound rspublieanIsm. lt deals
with the very heart Of the subject
aud will open 10 public notes the
high handed Guda0lty of the enc
mics of good government who to
degrade and deprive large class of
republicans Of their elective power,
will outrage every sentiment OF
fairness and assume the buldness as
we'll as the inIquIty of highway
robbers. There Il but little doubt
that the committee vii. discover
ample reasons for declaring the
election laws in some states uncon-
stitutiOnal and in great need of
Immediate correc ion. Moreover
It's report will evidently expose the
entire plot by which it was hoped
that uuregeuerAted rebels might
make the results Of the war of The
Rebellion failure and a. the same
time maintain representative
force in Congr,ss This exposure
of the crime Of disfranchisemsnt
will work power Of good in Sec
tiOns at the NOrsh where there is
an idea hat The southern politi-
clans are men of spotlsss integrity
and are incapable Of IA mean at.
1t will mOIe than likely show that
= more high handed injustice WAS
never perpetrated upon the North
than that which the South has
done IN sshemlng and obtaining
nearly twice a. many r presenra-
tives as they are entitled To, based
upon the citizens who are permit
ed to exercise the elective privilege.
And this too with a boldness which
Is as unjustlfiAOle as it is APPALLING.
We are glad that a measure whicn
will touch the quick of the highly
sentative and pAarisaieal southern