The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-02-09
Mississippi Senator Opposes
 Federal Supervision
STRONG DEFENSE OF SOUTH
MT. Percy Declares Tint the South Would Prefer Defeat of Election Resolution Than To Have Fed
 craI Control Hacked on

Washington, February S.--The south would prefer the defeat of the resolution calling for the election of United States senators by direct vote of the people to it's passage, if amended to place control of such elections in the hands of Con gross. So declared Senator Percy of Mis- sissippi in speech today. MT. Percy was the only speaker of the day on the election of senators and he addressed himself exclusively to the consideration Of the Sutherland amendment. 1e con tended that in the provision of the con stitution giving Congress supervision over the election of senators the power of control is only formal. It could ex- tend only to legislatures and not to the ordinary voter exercising his right of franchise in case of popular ele;tion Of senators As it now stands it is al emer- gency polJ. to be used by Congress only in case old lure of legislature to act.
 "Yet., si 'th4cMississippi senator. "by
 the alcheIny of senatorial logic it has
 been trasmuted into one of the chief bull
 warks of the government.
 
 amendment would give the national Busr ernment a vital control over the electors
 and might be so employed as to result in the appointment of supervisors or
 elections, which would be most objection
 able" the senator maintained
 National Supervision
 He declared that never except during tn when
 ton laws were resorted to in order eo
 nrotect the negro vote in the southern states had the national power Of super vision been invoked in the matter or eiec- l ton of members of the House Of Repre- sentatives and he added, never m 1 all that time was there a day when the general welfare would not have been pro I noted hs str;ssirts those sa@s From sP' | statutes.p
 l Referring to the effort of 20 years ags
 to mass the force bill. MT. Percy declares | that legislation along the lines then con l templated would have resulted in chaos whereas with the southern states ieit to their own devices of government there had been continued prosperity for both whites and blacks
 q believe" he said, that those days have gone. never to return and yet we find warrant for apprehension In the threats of the senator from New York (Mr. Depew) that senators voting TOT the resolution would feel the result of the negro vote in the doubtful states. It in- dicates a desire to curry favor with that vote and 1t may afford a sufficient incentive to attempt to control elections. Caution Must Be used While. however, he considered that inc day was far distant when any po- utical party would undertake to enact state laws for the control of elections, nevertheless, 1t was felt that too much caution could not be exercised. Taking up the Sutherland amend ment Mir. Percy said:
 sThe extension of the federal power as contemplated by the Sutherland amendment Is a price greater than the south is willing to pay for the right of electing senators by direct vote. The adoption of the amendment. therefore, would inevitably result in the defeat of the resolution"
 Tn conclusion MT. Percy declared that the south recognized the futility of any attempt to repeal the fifteenth amend ment to the constitution and said that such a course. would never be under taken by that section of the country. He thought 1t probable, however, that if might be escorted to by the states of the middle west where negroes held the balance of power.