The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1904-01-29
WILMINGTON N G. JANUARY ~ 1904

ton Of the canal. and as vexatious
as I am sure will be the delays IN
the commencement OF that great
work, IL this treaty should be de-
feated. 1 do not think I could vote
for IL
ITO my mind you might as well
say that / cannot administer OF the
estate OF a dead man without approx
ing OF his death, as to say that i can
not act upon the admitted fact that
Panama Is an indepedenent nation
without approving CT the means by
winch that Independents was
achieved"
Mr.. simmons olso announced his
iEt; ntion TO vote fo- the various
resolutions of inquiry and closed with
the expression of desire that CO.
her loss.
THE HOUSE.
Washington, January 27.-General
debate In the House today on the
urgent deficiency bill digressed to a
discussion OF political topics. the
race question and aerial navigation
Mr.. Burkett, of Nebraska. led OF with
a discussion Of the political situation
from a Republican viewpoint and Mr.
Conrad, of Missouri, spoke for the
Democrats
c. B. Landis. Republican, Of In
diana, closed the day in a political
speech lasting an hour. He declared
that Mr.. Roosevelt will be nominated
with the record of his administration
for his platform.
Mr.. Harwick rejoiced at the happy
relation now existing between the
North and South. He said the South
yielded to no section in loyalty and
in that spirit he invoked considera-
ton OF the race. Quoting census
figures he showed that the negroes
constitute about SO per cent Of those
of the voting population in IL Of the
Southern states. which figures, he
said suggested the magnitude Of the
problem.
: Reviewing the voting qualifications
imposed by constitutional action in
Southern states Mr.. Harwick said it
was not denied by some of the law
yers Of ability that any of these quail
ffications were in conflict with the
55 amendment. He said the negro
can no longer stand as a political
ward of the government, but must
stand on his merits as a citizen.
He said there had never been a
disposition in the South to deprive
the negro of his civil rights-the
right to earn a living, and the right
There can be no political equality,
he said. He quoted statistics and
said it was shown that as illiteracy
decreased among the race, criminal
1ty increased, from which he deduced
that education had been detrimental
rather than beneficial to the ne
gro.
8 Mr.. Watson, of Indiana, asked if
he believed in abolishing schools for
the negro.
Mr.. Harwick replied that higher
education untitled the negro for
work; that it gave him an ambition
too high to be realized in the South
or elsewhere. Calling attention to
the laws of a number Of states, in
Guiding Ohio, Vermont, Massa-
chusetts, Connecticut, Maine, Oregon,
California, Wyoming and Idaho, he
said If the representation of the
Southern states were to be reduced
because Of the voting qualifications
imposed. the representation Of the
states named would have TO be re-.
duced for the same reason.
Mr.. GroSvenor, of Ohio remarked
to Mr.. Harwick that it was the best
presentation of bad cause he had ever
heard.
Reference to election methods in
Southern states precipitated numer~
Gus colloquies between Mr.. Lands
and Mr.. Williams, of Mississippi, and
several others on the minority side.
Mr.. Landis said prosperity was here
to remain if the Democrats would let
1t stay, but the Democrats could
scare it away tomorrow, he added.
: by electing a Democratic Congress
and enacting a measure similar to
the Gorman-Wilson tariff bill. The
Republicans, declared Mr.: Landis.
would go into the battle on the party
record. He called attention to
the prosperous condition Of the
Southern states and replying to a
question by Mr.. Livingston, of Geor-
gia, he said the Democratic states
we're prosperous in spite of them
selves.
The House adjourned until tomor-