The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-06-28
Injustice, OF This Bill.

Take, for instance, Massachusetts,
the State from which comes Senator
Lodge, to whom was committed the
safe-keeping of this platform prior TO
the convention. Massachusetts has a
law compelling the payment Of all
taxes for two years next preceding
an election and a further require
ment that the voter shall ''be able to
read the Constitution in the English
language and write his name" Pau
pers and persons under guardianship
are denied the privilege of voting,
whatever their qualifications.
By virtue Of these laws a large per
cent of the voting population of
Massachusetts is each year prevented
from exercising the suffrage. Yet there
is no suggestion or intention of cut
ting down the representation of the
Bay State in Congress. But for Mis-
sissippi, whose consttutic.> is copied
from that of Massachusetts, with the
only difference that it does not deny
the right OF suffrage to paupers and
other classes who cannot vote in Mass
achusetts-for Mississippi it is pro-
posed To take away three of it's Rep
resentatives. And from North Caro-
lima, whose suffrage laws are even
less stringent than are those of Miss
issippi. it is proposed to take four of
its Representatives
The injustice of this is proved by
recent census reports, which show
that on the basis of calculation adopt
ed by the friends fthe Crumpacker
bill--that everybody who does not
vote in the Southern States is disfran-
chised and not allowed to vote-there
are proportionately more voters in
the State of Massachusetts who are
disfranchised than in the State of
Mississippi.
But not only is the proposed reduc-
ton in representation unjust. 1t is
arbitrary, as we'll and so far as North
Carolina is concerned, is much i'm ex-
cess of the reduction of qualified
voters brought about by it's new suf-
frage laws. In fact, the bill making
this reduction was introduced by Mr..
Crumpacker and urged upon Congress
in 1900. two years before the amend
ment went into effect in that State.
In other words, Mr.. Crumpacker' s
proposition was to summarily abolish
nearly one-half the States represen-
tation in Congress without even wait
ing. for the new suffrage provision to
taksAsfect
S. Kit went into effect a much
small number of voters than Mr.
Crump. II calculated have been dis
franchis but his bill, as introduced
again al 4 AIdSl session OF Congress,
shows no ge in regard to North
Carolina Fl y seeks her very life
blood in the y, bnal House of Repre-
sentatives because she is unwilling to
longer face teh menace of a large ig-
norant negro vote, and now the Ma
tional Republican party has placed it's
seal of approval upon his plan.
A Little Soul BoiIs.
That IL is not the good of the South.
but its punishment that Mr.. Crun1-
packer and his party seek. is shown
by his speech made in Congress during
January, 1901, in support of his pro-
position. He said he had been ad-
monished that his bill menaced the
success of an effort that was being
made to build up "a Whit Republican
party I'M the South" He sneeringIy
added:
"a white Republican party in the
South is only possible by universal as
sent to the practical enslavement of
! the negro.
! IF that Imaginary party should at
any time show any friendship for the