The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1904-12-10
TO CUT SOUTHS VOTE
Plat Introduces Bill to Reduce Its
Representation in Congress.
A LOSS OF NINETEEN VOTES

Claims Negro Disfrsnchisement Emit
ties Them TO Less coneressmen-ln-
PRODUCTION Of Bill Created Consider
able Interest.
Washington. Dec. S-Senator Plat
NJ New York, introduced the bill pre-
pared under the direction of the COM
mittee on national affairs of the Re
publican Club of the city of New YORK.
having as its purpose the reduction oil
the representation in congress OF
southern states that have DISTINGUISHED
the colored voter.
The measure, if enacted in its pres
ent form. would lessen the member
ship In congress by 10. as follows:
Alabama. from to Z; Arkansas, to
G: Florida. 3 to ,; Georgia, IL to 3;
Louisiana. 7 to 5: Mississippi, s to s;
North Carolina. 10 to s; South Caro-
lima. Z to ;; Tennessee. 10 to 3; Texas
16 TO Is; Virginia. 10 TO s.
The introduction of the bill created
considerable interest on the Demo
cratic side Of the chamber and at he
request OF several senators portions OF
the measure were re-read.
The bill amends the act making
an apportionment Of representatives In
congress among the several states I'M
der the 18th census" by adding new
sections.
The first is preamble, as follows:
Section 6-Whereas. the Constitu-
ton Of the United States prescribes, in
article 4. section 3, that when the right
TO vote at any election specified in said
article is denied to any Of the male
inhabitants of such states. being q
years of age, and citizens of the
United States. or in any way abrldges.
except for participation in rebellion
or other crime. the basis of represen~
tation therein shall be reduced, IN
which the number of male citizens
shall bear to the whole number OF
male citizens p years of age in such
state and further prescribes In artl-
Gle IS that the right of citizens OF the
United States to vote shall not be de-
MED or abridged by the United States
OF any state, on account of race, color
or previons condition OF servitude;
and. whereas. the congress Is satisfied
that the right of male inhabitants OF
certain states, being q years OF age
and citizens of the United States. to
vote at some of said specified elections
since the passage of the act hereby
amended had in fact been denied or
in some way abridged for causes not
permitted by the Constitution of the
United States, and that the represen-
tation of the states hereinafter speci-
fled should be reduced pursuant TO the
Constitution
II then provides that after the Sd
OF March the representation Of certain
states shall be as given above.
1t provides in section Z for election
at large of the representatives of any
state whose representation is reduced.
provided the state prior to election
does not redistrict the state on the re-
duced basis.
The steering committee of the SEN
ate framed the order Of business for
the senate until the holiday recess.
Four matters will be given attention in
this period. They are the Philippine
bill. on which the senate has agreed
to vote December 16. statehood legis-
lation, the nomination of William D..
Crum to be collector of the port of
Charleston, S. C.. and the question Of
filling vacancies on senate committees.