The Nome nugget., 1903-06-06
NEW SOUTHERN PROPOSAL.


 Newspaper correspondents at the national capital predict that tho democratic minority in the house will be led during the Fiftyeghth congress by John Sharp Williams, of Mississippi who was born in that state July 30 1851 is lawyer and has represented the old Fifth district for ten years. He WAS elected represent the Eighth district, receiving ali the votes cast 1174. During the Fifty seventh congress Mr. Williams took prominent part, beig ready speaker and good parliamentarian, quick to take advantage of or to make point
 Recently Mr. Williams discussing with number of southern members the negro question, said:
 Il would be perfectly willing to see reduction in the representation of the southern states in congress if the northern states would consent to repeal o the fifteenth amendment to the constitution. providing that the right of citizens of the United states to vote shall not be abridged by the tnted States, or by any state, account race. color previous condition oi servitude It now is generally admitted that con. ferring the franchise on the negro mistake and it it was a mistake it certainly should be ltctiied
 "I for one, would gladly give up my seat in gress and abandon all hope of public for the sake of seeing the fifteenth amendment repealed, and 1 believe most southern men feel as l do about il. With all danger of negro domination removed. the south would object to having its representatoa in congress reduced if the representations fairly based upon the distribution of white population. The south is not looking for advantage; it only asks jus tce and it is not just hold this threat of reduced representation heads while the fifteenth amendment remains a part of the federal constitu- tion."
 While NIT. Williams may voice the sentiment Of southern men, it is equally certain that his pro- posal will meet with very little appreciation in the north and therefore, his proposition will never be- come the law of the land The people of the north may look askance at the elimination of the ne TO voter by the adoption of educational and simia tests and not be disposed to too severely crtcise the tives that led to their adoption, because there j. growing sentiment among for putting in operation the doctrine that the education and intelligence of the individual shall be established before he is allow cd to cast a ballot but we cannot help wondering why the provisions of the fourteenth amendment not enforced and the representation in congress of Mississippi for instance, reduced in the proportion which the number of such male citizens" who have been kept away from the ballot box. "hears 10 the whole number of male citizens T years o age in such state
 The people of the north will not very loudly iues tion the elimination of the negro vote in the south under an educational test, ii they assured of ar equal voice in congress and the electoral college What they object to is the advantage in these things reaped by the south through the abolition oi slavery
 Ex-Gov. Acorn, ot Mississippi, was wont to ex- plain how the negro vote is counted in the south Said he: You know that before the war i've negroes counted for three in the basis of representation. Since the war five negroes count for five in the basis of rep resentation and the southern contingent in congress and the electoral college is increased ,hir yve