Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-12-07

CSildtOI idtt VI NSW L Vi n tOudy
introduced bill having as its pur-
pose the reduction of the represen-
tation in Congress OF southern
states that have disfranchised the
negro voter. The measure would
lessen the membership in Congress
by nineteen.
AS an indication of the intense interest
which is being taken in the proposed re-
duction of representation of the southern
states in Congress, when Senator Platt of
New York offered his reduction bill In the
Senate today, demand was made from the
democratic side that the bill should be
read from the desk. This is an unusual
procedure, and is only taken when the Sem
ate desires to be informed Immediately of
the purport of a measure.
The reading of the bill disclosed that 1T
proposes to amend the act of Congress ap-
portioning the congressional districts un-
der the twelfth census so as to provide for
a reduction of representation of the south
ern states. The bill recites the provisions
Of the Constitution of the United States
guaranteeing the right of citizens to vote,
and alleges that these rights have in fact
been denied and abridged.
The Proposed Reduction.
The bill proposes to make the following
reductions in representation OF the south
ern states in the House of Representatives:
Alabama-Reduced from nine to seven.
Arkansas-From seven to six.
Florida-From three to two.
Georgia-From eleven to eight.
Louisiana-From seven to five.
Missssippi-From eight to six
North Carolina-From ten to eight
South Carolina-From seven to five
TeBnessee-F'rom ten to nine.
Texas-From sixteen to fifteen.
NfFgfnia-From ten TO eight.
The reduction should go into effect March
ton should be restored whenever the states
ceased to abridge the right to vote
One feature of the bill vas designed to
overcome suggested method by which the
resuction might be llindered. 1t has been
proposed by some OF the southern congress-
men that the states would refuse to redis-
Congress. and would send their present rep
resentatiyeS to Congress and go into the Su-
preme Court for their pay
The bill provided that if the states refused
to rediStrict the representatives should be
elected at large.
After the bill had been read Senator Bal
ley asked what the bill proposed to do with
the states where senators were chosen by
the governors and not by the legislatures.
This hit at the gubernatorial and senatorial
situation in New York and the contest be-
tween Gov. Odell and Senator Plat, the in
troducer of the bill, caused a good-natured
laugh throughout the, Senate. The bill was
referred to the committee on the census.
The democratic senators paid the closest
attention to the reading of the bill, and on
the republican side similar interest was
manifested.
Senator Platt's Statement.
Senator Platt gave out the following state
ment to the press in explanation of the
measure:
This bill is framed upon the lowest limi-
tation possible, and treats as excluded from
the suffrage only the male negro citizen
over twenty-one years of age, classed by the
twelfth census as illiterates under the 1900
census tables published since the apportion-
ment act of January 16, 1901.
1.-The aggregates actually excluded from
the suffrage in each of the states mentioned
are, in truth, larger than those used as the
basis for this act. If all negro votables
d. e., male citizens over twenty-one) regard
less of illiteracy should be deemed to be ex-
cluded, the reduction in representation fig
ured from the same tables would be nearly
twice as great as stated in this bill.
"It requires no evidence beyond the no.
torious historical fact, for Congress to ad-
judge what cannot be denied, that the class
u,
practically excluded from the suffrage in
the states mentioned in the bill, no matter
what may be nominal provisions of their re-
spectve constitutions or election laws. The
BILL therefore, presents the smallest reduc-
tior practicable and is very conservative.
How much further, meritOriously consid-
cred, the reduction should extend can readi-
ly be arrived at by more specifically re-
gardng the actual facts of total exclusion
in respect to each state. In treating frac-
tion3 of ton. the benefit has been
given in favor of the representa- ton, accord
ing to the size of the fractions. The 'ap-
portionment' remains as fixed in 1901, and
the reduction is to cease when the facts
shall warrant II.
THE bill has been prepared under the di-
rection of the committee on national af-
fairs of the Republican Club of the City of
New York; the club having at its first
meeting after the presidential election
unanimously voted to request Congress to
take immediate action, pursuant to the rep
resentation plank in the national repub-
lican platform"
An Early Decision Favored.
Some of the republican leaders in the
House and Senate are in favor of having a
conference at an early day and deciding
either to take up the question of reduction
of representation and push 1t to some kind
of conclusion or else to drop the matter
entirely and let it be known that no action
is contemplated.
men, they say, are very much exercised
over the subject and that considerable ir-
ritation is likely to be aroused between the
sections. If it is not contemplated to take
action at this session some of the repub-
lican leaders think 1t would conduce to har-
mony and good feeling If that fact should
be stated now, and if 1t is desired to do
something they should go ahead and do it.
-&-
The Postmaster General Heard.
Postmaster General Wynne appeared be-
fore a subcommittee of the House commit