The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1904-12-09

Washington, December 7.-Senator
PIatt, of New York. today INTRODUCED
the bill, prepared under the direction
of the committee ON national affairs Of
the Republican club of the city Of New
York, having as its purpose the reduc-
ton of the representation In congress
Of the southern states that have dis
franchised the negro voter. The meas
Ire, if enacted in it's present form,
would lessen the membership in con-
gress by nineteen according to the est
mate that has been made by the Re-
publican club, which originated it. The
bill and a statement issued by Senator
Platt were referred to the committee
on the census. The statement follows:
This bill is framed upon the lowest
limitation possible and treats as ex-
cluded from suffrage only the male ne
gro citizens over q years Of age, class
ed by the twelfth census as illiterates,
under the 1900 census tables published
since the apportionment act of Janu-
ary 10Th, 1901.
'"The aggregates actually excluded
mentioned are in truth larger than
those used as the basis for this act. If
all negro yOtableS G. e., male citizens
over 21.) regardless of iliteracy shou d
be deemed to be excluded, the reduc-
ton in representation figured from the
sdme tables, would be nearly twice as
great as stated in this bill.
1T requires no evidence beyond the
notorious historical fact, for congress
l. 10 4 tod %r@slr
the class OF negro illiterates, to the
extent stated, is practically excluded
from the suffrage in the states men
toned in the dill, no matter what may
be the nominal provisions of their res
pective constitutions or election laws.
The bill, therefore, presents the small
est reduction practicable and is very
conservative.
How much further, meritorious!y
considered, the reduction should extent
can readily be arrived at by more
specifically regarding the actual facts
of the total exclusion in respect to
each state. In treating fractions of
reduction, the benefit has been given
in favor of the representation, accord
ing to the size of fractions. The ap-
portionment remains as fixed in 1901
and the reduction is to cease when
the facts shall warrant it.
1.-The bill has been prepared under
the direction of the committee on nat.
ional affairs of the Republican Club CT
the city of New York; the club having,
at its first meeting after the presiden-
tial election, unanimously voted to re-
quest congress TO take immediate ac.
ton, pursuant to the representation
plank in the national platform.
''The bill provides for the reduction
of representation in the house of rep
resentatives as follows: Alabama from
8 to z; Arkansas from to s; Florida
from to 2; Georgia from IL to s;
Louisiana from to 5: Mississippi 5
to s; North Carolina 10 to s: South
Carolina TO 5; Tennessee 10 to 8; Tex
as 16 to Is; Virginia 10 to s.
The bill amends the act making an
apport5onment of representatives in
congress among the several states un-
der the 18th census" by adding new
sections.
The first is a preamble as follows:
Section g. Whereas, the constitution
of the United States prescribes in arti-
Gle II, section 2, 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 81
years Of age and citizens of the United
States, or in anyway abridged, except
for participation in rebellion or other
crime. the basis or the, representation
therein shall be reduced in the proper
ton which the number of such maia
citizens shall bear to the whole number
OF male citizens p years of age in such
state and further prescribes in article
10 that the right of citizens of the Unit
ed states to vote shall not be denied
or abridged by the United States Of
any state, on account of race, color, or
previous condition OF servitude; ana
whereas, the congress is satisfied with
the right Of male Inhabitants of cer-
tain states being 21 years old and cit
izens Of the United States to vote at
some of said specified elections since
the passage of the act hereby amended,
has in fact been denied or in some way
abridged for causes not permitted by
ne constitution OF the United States
md that the representation of the
states hereinafter specified should be