The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-12-15
Negro Gontcsting Election, Of q
Democrat From District in
South Carolina. 4 X
.DlsFRAN c EASEMENT NEGl
Congress Is Urged to Pass Upon
the Matter by Unseati1lg Dem
ocratic Member Of Congress.
The Tim es- Dispatch Bureau.
Colorado Building.
t1tn 1.1,inninn n g. Dec III

Washington, D. c., Dec. Ii.
or the ten election contests which are TO
be settled before this Congress adiourns.
the one from tho Seventh South Caro-
lima District Is receiving most atten-
ton from the Democrats. AT first 1t was
thought that this was the least Important
of all the cases, and Its ridiculous
features were tho subject Of much anuso-l
ment. But 1t IS now realized thnt there
Is d serious side TO the case. and that 1t
may be rraught with danger.
Alexander D. Dantzler, Republican IS
contcsting the right Of Asbury l.. Lever.
Democrat TO his seat. Dantzler Is a. Goa.
black negro, of the old time plantation
kind, with a. head as white as snow. Fle
is illItcrate, but he saved his right to vote
under the provisions Of the South Caro-
lima Constitution by having enough prop
erty to entitlc him to his franchise. he
received 1f7 votes at the last election, as
against 1920 for Lever. but 1t Is claimed
by counsel for the darkey that 6,Ss4 ne
rroes who offered themselves ns voters at
the polls, were denied the privilege OF
voting He asks that these votes be
counted for him, which would give him
more than two thousand majority against
p 49, 1890 : . +
his opponent.
The brief OF the contestant says that
the time has come for Congress to pass
on the election laws Of the Southern
states, where the negro has been de-
prived OF the constitutional right to cast
his ballot, and urges that the adjudication
of the question SO far as Congress shall
be able TO pass on 1t be not longer post
poned The Congress is petitioned to apply
"fearlcssly whatever remedy 1t may select
in such o way as TO forever put an END
to the Acknowledgement of the colored
race In the State Of South Carolina, which
this case discloscs.' =
There are several members OF the COM
rlittce who are disposed to make a test
case of this. and the decision will be
awaited with greatest Interest by the
southern members. In the districts OF
nearly all the minority members, condi-
tons are very similar to that OF the
Seventh South Carolina. and II the COM
rittee decides that the negro has right
to have the votes of disfranchiscd negroes
cast for him 1t may be we'll assumed that
many Republicans from Southern States
will make similar contests before the next
Congress.
The South Carolina case was heard for
a short time by Elections Committee No.
MR. JONES VIEW.
Hon William A. Jones, who has just re-
turned from Richmond where he spent
some time last week working to prevent
the passage of the bill to break the Bay-
lor survey. said to-day that he felt en-
couraged to believe that the Senate would
not pass the bill which has gotten
through the House OF Delegates Mr..
Jones said that he had never before at.
tempted to influence State legislation, and
did not think that 1t was rule proper
for member OF Congress to Interfere
in matters pending in the Legislature 0f
his State, but he believed that the pro-
posed law was one Of such vital impor-
sance to his people that he was only dis
charging a plain duty by cndeavorng to
prevent its going on the statute books.
gentleman from Tidcwater Virginia,
who was here yesterday said that II the
survey was broken and the beds rented
out he thought that the fifteen hundred
people who live on Tangicr Island, In
Chesapeake Bay, none Of whom own any
OF the beds, would have to abandon their
homes and go where they could make a
living.
Captain w. +. Hudgins, In command OF
the State steamer Rappahannock, spent
Sunday In Washington, having brought his
vessel up to Alexandria Saturday night
for coal. She started down tho river I'd
Norfolk this morning. The inspection of
all the vessels OF the State navy will takc
place at Norfolk on Wednesday OF this
week.