The Washington bee., 1910-08-06
.Dr, WASHINGTON EyDIainS
National Negro Exposition.

eur race ana many OISdHlLdllOIlS Hd'C
been so very kind in assisting to get
the bill through Congress appropriat-
ing $1,000 to be used in defraylng the
expenses of a preliminary commits
sion to investigate and report upon
the wisdom of holding a seml-cen-
tennial of the negroes freedom IN
1913, that feel that perfectly frank
statement of what has been done and
the present prospects for the exposi-
ton ought to be made.
| ought to state in the first place
that the idea of a preliminary COM
mission was first suggested by Presl-
dent Taft, and this idea, as is well
known, was urged upon Congress IN
his annual message. 1t seemed to all
of US at the time that the course urged
by the President was the wisest one
to pursue, and if Congress had seen
its way clear to have carried out Pres
ident Taft's wish, matters would have
been by this time well under way.
Unfortunately, however, there was so
much important business before Con-
gress that it seemed impossible to
reach the exposition bill in the regu-
lar course of committee reports be-
fore the adjournment of Congress.
Hon w. A. RodenbeTg, of Illinois,
with the consent and cooperation OF
Hon. z. L. Taylor, Jr., of Ohio, both
of whom had charge of the bill,
thought it wise to have the bill called
I'D under a suspension of the rules IN
order to expedite the matter. When
= bill is called up under a suspension
of the rules, twO-thirds is required to
pass it. Unfortunately, when the bill
was called up, certain Democrats
thought the Republicans were simply
trying to pass the bill in order to
make political capital out of it. Con-
sequent2y, it was made a party meas
ure, practically all the Republicans
voting in favor of it, and practically
ali the Democrats voting against It.
1t will be seen that large majority of
the members of the lower house ia
vOred the bill. The exact number was
I80.
/ ought to add, that Senator w.
L. Jones, of Washington, Chairman
of the Senate Committee on Expo
sitions, did all he could in favor of
the bill, along with Congressman
ROdenberg and Congressman Taylor.
President Taft also manifested the
deepest interest and did all he could
to bring about the passage OF the bill
by Congress- All who are interested
in the exposition are greatly obligated
to him, to Congressman Rodenberg,
to Congressman Taylor, and to Sen
atOr Jones, who from the first have
shown the deepest interest in trying
to get the bill through Congress,
There are also other members of Con-
gress who deserve the thanks OF our
race for their activity and interest in
behalf Of the bill.
In order that the race may see just
how matters stand at present, | give
portions of letters received on the
subject.
In recent letter, Congressman
Rodenberg says:
CAS- you are probably aware, my
resolution providing for the appoint
ment of a preliminary commission to
investigate the question of the advis-
ability of holding an exposition to
commemorate the semi-centennlal of
the negroes freedom in America, was
defeated on Monday, as it failed to get
the necessary tWO-thlrdS vote. The
vote stood ISo to 81. The votes in
opposition to the resolution came en-
tirely from the Democratic side, l
will state, however, that we have no
particular reason to feel discouraged.
It is my purpose TO bring out a bill
at the short session providing for
holding an exposition Of this kind, and
securing a consideration on Calendar
Wednesday, when only majority will
be necessary to pass the bill. | be-
Iieve 1t will be an easy matter to get
this majority in a Republican Con-
gress."
Congressman Taylor writes as fol-
lows:
4 have your letter of June p. The
bill has not failed. In order that you
may understand the situation and not
feel that we have lost a good fight,
/ will say that the resolution prOvid-
ing for the commission was on the
regular calendar, and it became evi-
dent that, under the call of commit
tees, the Committee on Industrial Arts
and EXpositiOnS would not be reached
IN its regular order For that reason,
Mr.. ROdenberg procured the consent
OF the Speaker to be recognized under
a suspension of the rules. In order
to put through a resolution or bill
under suspension, it requires a two
thirds majority vote, and as usual the
Democratic members, particularly
from the South, were there in sufi-
cient number of prevent its passage
by a two-thirds majority. But it car
ried heavily, and will, when brought
up in its regular order at the next
session, undoubtedly pass the House
without the slightest difficulty. This
was an honest and sincere effort TO
get the bill out sooner than it would
have been called up on the regular
calendar, and, therefore, as I stated in
the beginning, it is not a defeat, but
only a temporary setback, and leaves
the resolution exactly where it was
before it was called up. I hope and
believe sincerely that it will pass in
the short session of the 6Ist Congress,
and am indeed sorry that we could not
put it through successfully at this ses-
sion"
Senator Jones, of Washington, who
had charge of the bill in the Senate,
has written TO similar effect He plans
at the coming session to cooperate
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