The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-04-09
IN DEFENSE OF SOUTH
BOWERS cS MISSISSIPPI SPEAKS
 IN HOUSE. k
Says Negro is Protected in This Sec ton as We'll as in the North-Many Bills
 Passed.

Washington, April S.-The House today passed a large number of bills, including thu Philippines shipping bill. and the biii appropriat!ng $75.0O0 in aid of the Lewis and Clark Centennial Exposition. to be held in Portland. Ore, in 1905.
 The only amendment made to the Phil I ipp;ne shipping bill was one extending uEtil July l. 1906. the time when the law sfail become operative. The bill pro- vides that no merchandise or passengers except supplies for the army or navy shall be transported by sea, under pen- a!ty of forfeiture, between ports of the United States and the Philippine archi- lpeiago, diBectiy. or via q foreign port or for any part of the voyage. in any ex- cept vessels of the United States. It does not prohibit, howeevr. the sailing of any for eign vessel between the United States and the Philippines. nor between ports or places in the Philippines.
 The Philippines Commission is author iEed to issue license to engage in light craze or other exclusively harbor bus mess to vessels or other craft actually engaged in such business at the date stated. and to vessels or other craft built in the Philippines or in the United States and owned by citizens of the United States or inhabitants of the Philippines. The law does not affect any privilege
 
 chandise by the Paris treaty of peace. A House joint resolution also was agreed to relating to the exemption of all private property at sea not contra band of war from capture or destruction bv belligerent powers. Bills were passed amending the revised statutes so as to remove the port of entry for the district of Pearl River from Shieldsboro to Gulf pert. Miss, and to provide a seat for the United States Commissioners.
 The House then took up the bill to pro- vide for a delegate in Congress from Alaska, but In the debate which ensued, MT. Bowers (Miss.) answered some state ments recently made by MT. Gillett Mass.). regarding violations of the Con stitution of some of the Southern States with respect to negro suffrage.
 He read from various decisions of Mis- sis sppi courts holding that the Senate did not discriminate against the races, and that 1t had been fair and impartial in the enforcement of the suffrage clause of the Constitution. He declared that the negro was as safe in the hands of the Governor of Mississippi as in those of the Governor of Massachusetts and said that in Mississippi the negro's rights of life. liberty, property and pursuit of happiness were as carefully guarded as bv any other State.
 AHe only StaIe IF Wnlch Iynchtng had been prevented by swift and timely h. deposition of the law was in Mississippi and this. he said, was due to the personal action of the Governor.
 MT. Bowers made a comparison of the criminal statistics of Massachusetts and Mississippi and said these showed that the negro in the latter State was six times better off than those of Massachrl- setts. In the State of Mississippi. he said, every avenue of labor was opened to the negro and every opportunity given to improve his condition by industry and toll. He pointed with pride, he said, to the fact that in his State the ratio of mulatoes to the colored population and to the whole population was less today than 1t has been at any time since the war. He declared that there was less intermingling with negroes than ever be- fore, and that the mulatto has steadily become with the people of Mississippi an incident and recollection of the past"
 MT. Bowers asserted that the negro's entry into politics was simply to serve as a party expedient and that his politi- cal baptism was an aid of Republican as- tendency. He believed, ne said. that race purity could be preserved absolutely by the utter segregation of the races in ev- cry scholastic relation. The slightest in- termingling of the races. he declared. was fraught with peril He said that the ne gro was not fit for self government and he was greeted with Democratic applause when he said the negro within constltu- tional limits should be eliminated as a political factor
 "I thank Cod he added. "the consti- tuition of Mississippi swept the circle of expediency to accomplish that end"
 The Alaska bill was then laid aside. At o'clock the House adjourned until to-