The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1904-11-18
LIKELY To CALL
FOR COMMITTEE [:
President Said to be iii Favor Of
Investigation Of Disfranchisc-
tncnt Of the Negro.
cockRELL FOR a GOOD JOB
Said That He Will Get Position
on the Civil Service
Commission.

fF'rom Our Regular Correspondent
WASHINGTON. D. c., Nov. i7.--While
:. there are some Democrats who think that
Congress will hardly take any action at
tho coming seson looking to the reduc-
ton OF Southern representation, because
Of the Acknowledgement OF negroes, prob
ably tho better opinion Is that q commit
tee Will be appointed to investigate the
subject and report at the next session.
/ 1t Is believed that radicals OF the crum
] packer type, will not consent to allow.
! Congress to got through the coming ses-
sion without some reference to this SUBJ
4, Ject. which was tho text OF ono plank
| OF the Republican platform
President Wants investigation.
The President will Undoubtedly Insist
upon some Investigation OF this Character
\ The committee appointed to make the In
vestigat!on probably will be empowered to
go into the whole question OF dtsfrnn-
chisement, as practiced In the North and
South. and make thorough investIga-
tlon. While It is welt known that the
object OF the investigation will be to re-
duce the representation In Congress OF
| Southern States which have adopted new
constitutions, the committee will have
| to make a show Of investigat ting the dis
| franchlsnn1ent Of large portions Of the
| voters In various Southern States by
means Of an educational qualihca ton. The
| only difference between the effects OF
such Qualifications In the Northern and
| Southern States, Is that In the North
white men. chiefly ignorant Foreigners.
are disfran chised and In the South the
disfranchisemen extends almost entirely
to negroes. The method used is the came,
the only difference Is In the color OF the
men affected.
The Supreme Court has not passed
squarely upon the consttutionallty OF
the suffrage provision OF one OF tho new
constitutions OF the Southern States, but
every decision OF what may be termed a
collateral character. has sustained the
contention OF tho vast majority Of the
white people Of those States. Congrcss
can consttutionally reduce the represent
.tatlons OF the States only when It Is shown
that the tests Of voting applied 10 the ne
gro are the same us those applied to the
white applicant. 1t would seem as
though, 1t would be absolutely necessary
for the Supreme Court to act, to declare
In effect that the new State Constitutions
unconstitutionally DISTINGUISHED colored
voters. before the Congress could under
take to reduce the representation Of those
States which have adopted new Constitu-
tons. and thereby reduce the electorate
BY means OF educational qualifications.
Fight Against Extension.
There Is going to be an interesting fight
made Mt the coming session Of Congress
agninst the extension OF the rural free
delivery system. The amount now ex-
pended annually on the system Is about
s:7.o00ooo. 1t. ia proposed to ask an ad-
dit'onal appropriation OF sG.ooo.oo0 this
ycar. and It Is against this increase that
TIC fight will be made. The residents Of
some. OF the large cities are behind the
movement and assert that the voters who
receive the benefit Of rural free delivery
only pay twenty-five cents perscaplta OF
the cost, leaving 81 per apita to be paid
by voters who ars residents OF cities.
Large wholesale houses In some OF the
cities, viii also fight the Increased appro-
$brlnt!ojiif 1t Is Id, for tho reason thntsthc
Extension Of the system, has Increased
the business Of mail order houses to such
an extent that dealers In towns and VII
lages have had their, business greatly cut
and buy much smaller quantities from
the wholesalers.
while there will BIO opposition to the
extension OF the system. 1t need not ex-
cite any apprehension In tho minds OF
those who benefit by the free delivery
OF mall In the country districts. The es-
adjustment Of the System was about the
first thing this government ever did for
the help Of the farmer alone. The system
has proved a great success. ndtthere. VII
Be! no eretrogression In the opinion ofSthe
officials tof the department
That Extra Session.
l.1t is believed that the President will
allow Congress to decide whether there
shall be an extra sesslon OF Congress-.
3ltiis said that he will not press the mat
ter, but will be content to blde by the
decision OF the leaders OF the party In
the House OF Representatives.. Represen-
tativc Serene E. Payne, OF New y ork,
the Republican leader on the floor Is in
the city, and 4 while always a stand
patter,' he Is evidently much more In,
clned to tariff revision than he vas less
than a year ago. He does not tnhK'
however, that there will DO an extra scS-
sion. Represen tative McCleary. OF Mime
sofa. who came out ssquarely, last year
IN favor Of "a revision Of the tariff
schedules upward, instead OF downward.
t. also inclined 10 be conciliatory, and
thinks that IL the scheduled are TO be,
revised In the course OF the next Jour
years, 1t might be well to- get at IT as
soon IS possible. Both Mr.. Payne ana
Mr. Mccleary saw the President yester-
day.
the number of Democrats on the various
committees OF tho House. The reduction
VII not take place until the next ses-
sion. hut the great Increase III the mum.
Der OF Republican numbers and. q
course, tho decrease III the number or
members Of the minority. Will cause the
Republicans to claim larger proportt'onate
representation on tho committees.
speaker Cannon Will gladly make tho
reduction in tho proportion Of Demo-
cratic membership Of tho committees. ns
he indicated last year that no thought
tho number Of the minority on COM
mittees was out OF proportion TO the
strength of'thc party In the House
May Appoint Cockrell.
Relia Bile information IL TO the enect
that the President contemplates appoint
ing Senator Cockrell to . place on the
Civil Service Commission upon inc OK
niration 81 tho lutter's term az member
or the senate from Missouri, II Is semi
a,thor;tat!yely announced that Senator