The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1904-12-09
Gossip Concerning Re-appOr.
tiOnment I'm the South.
Negroes Not Allowed to Vote
But They Are Considered.
FIGURES.
Louisiana Democrat Elect Had
$500 Votes OF I7S,6OO.
Talk About Drastic Legislation
Has Little Effect.

Washington, Dec. st has been
claimed by some friends of President
Roosevelt that he will urge upon his
friends in congress at the present ses-
sion the passage of legislation that will
restrict the apportionment of represent
tatives from the south in accordance
with the vote cast; that in other words,
so long as the south disfranchises ne
groes, it shall not have members OF
congress based upon the inclusion OF
the colored population in the total pop
ulation of the various congressional
districts.
1t is hardly probable that this ex-
treme legislation will be had. 1t is
scarcely likely that the president has
ever intimated that he will seek to in
fiuence congress on this subject. But it
is a notorious fact that the vote in
southern states and congressional dis
tricts is ridiculous1y small. in propor-
tion to the population of the states and
districts
A favorable comparison, or rather un-
favorable, so far as the south is con-
cerned, can be made between some OF
these states and Kansas. For instance
the state of Louisiana has seven menu
bers of congress; Kansas has eight.
greatly exceed that of louisiana.
In the First Louisiana district the
population is 1850. The district COM
prises portion of the city of New Or
leans. The Fifth Kansas district has
population of 1916. There is only
difference of about 5000 in the popula-
ton of the two districts. Yet Adolph
Meyer, Democrat, who was elected to
congress from the First Louisiana dis
trict had but 1910 votes, while Mr..
Calderhead, the successful candidate in
the Fifth Kansas, had 1890 votes. The
Republican candidate in the First Lou
isiana district had S66 votes. The lead
ing opponent to Mr.. Calderhead in the
Fifth district had 49, $50 votes. No COM
ment is necessary.
But there is a Louisiana district
which shows up even worse than the
one above referred to. The Fourth dis
trict of that state has a population OF
1861 Its Democratic representative
had but 2.567 votes, and his Republican
opponent had but 156 votes. The Fourth
Kansas district has population of 1S7,-
129, less than the Louisiana district ci-
ted, yet Mr.. Miller had a vote of 20,S0S,
while his Democratic opponent had A.
361. This is even a worse comparison
Here is another sample: The total
vote for congress- for all candidates, in
all the districts of Louisiana, seven in
number, was only 26,265. The majori-
ties of Mr.. Murdock and Mr. Calder
head-not the total vote, but the ma
jorities-in two congressional districts
of Kansas was 26, ,00S, or only about 2o0
less than the total Louisiana vote, for
all candidates for congress, in all dis
trictsl
But here is something which is of inter-
est along these lines; The official count
Florida with a population of $4,000 or
one-third of that of Kansas, shows that
that proportion of kansas would have cast
a total vote of 117,S21, instead of something
But there is even worse showing than
Louisiana and Florida The state OF Mis-
sissippi has popqiatlon practlcaIly I, tne
ional districts, or the same number OF
as Kansas. Not a single one
of the Democratic members had opposi-
ton and of the entire eight the COM
bined vote was only 1913, or more than
I, 900 less than Mr.. Campbells majority In
the Third district of kansas this year,
and more than $500 less than the majority
eight members of congress
in a southern state should receive less
votes, all told, than the majority OF sin
gle member from Kansas.
And yet it is not likely that drastic
legislation to compel the south either to
permit the negro to vote, or else to have
It's congressional apportionment restricted
in proportion to the restricted colored
vote, will be essayed by the triumphant
lrifted into Senator Longs rooms the day
Of his arrival He was asked If they had
ceased to count his majority in the Kan
sas Seventh. ''Yes,p he replied, but it's
only Is, 757; you see''-this last mournfully
and apparently seriously-"they took
away part of the majority after the un-
official count. thought it was going to
run way over 16,Oo0i"
Kansans who have occasion to pass
through the lower capitol corridor these
lays and look, as has been their wont for
MANY wears. at the door of the little room
occupied so long by Charles Curtis, are
Joking Curtis a good deal. For the little
-oom where the Kansas member had his
for ten years, and where
many conferences with Kansans were
leId is now one sof the capitol barber
shops. Mr.. Curtis had to give up this
-oom when he was appointed on the great
committee of ways and means last win
,er.
Mr. Miller is also being questioned a
good deal as to whether he is or not of a
;uperstitious nature. For his number this
year is 3213 Thirteenth street.
III a N