Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1911-02-21

Special Dispatch to The Journal.)

Special Dispatch to The JournaL)
WASHINGTON. Feb. .1s.-Onee of the
interesting features that has marked the
discussion of the joint resolution. sbefore
congress for the, election of United
States senators by the direct vote of the
people. was the colloaGy which occurred
between United States Senator, Bacon.
OF Georgia. and United States Senator
Root while the senate asa conrnittee
Of the whole. had ths rashluti on. under
consideration. ss
The debate was in regard to the adop-
ton of the Sutherland amendment. Dur
ing the discussion Senator Bacon took
occasion to answer statement made by
Senator Root relative to the djsfran-
chisement laws of the south and.sto de-
fend that section from, criticisms eDy the
New York senator
The remarks of Senator Bacon and
Senator Root, as reported .byrtfie Com
gressionaI Record. follow in fun:
Mr.. Bacon. AR. President. l desire to
say one word with reference TO the joint
resolution before ii is laid aside for the
day 1 dislike extremely to recur to the
matter to which ] called attention inn
mediately after the address OF, the sem
ator from New YORK tAIf. sRooOf rela-
tive to a statement made by him in his
exceedingly impressive and forceful ar
gument, one of the most impressive and
forceful / think have had the pleas
ure OF listening to in the senate during
my term OF service here. s
1t is mainly because OF the fact of the
character OF the speech, its very great
impressiveness, and the very great at
tention which 1t received not only in
this chamber, but which 1t viii receive
from the pubic at large. that feel that
one of the statements made by the sem
ator in that speech should not go to the
country without some further expiapa-
ton OF the meaning OF the senator sas
TO what he thenl-had in view -.
I will repeat substantially what I said
today when the senator was unfortunate
" out of the chamber. The statement
made by the senator in his speech IL
recoIIect it correctly land II do net
the reporters notes. OF course VIII show
wherein am in error, was TO the ef-
feet. III not in words, that from time
to time there were things which hap
pened in the southern states which ought
not to be permitted to happen by those
states. and that II they were not, cor
rected by those states-the national gov
eminent must correct them. 5
II the senator had not said that these
were happenings fn-the southern states
would not feel called. upon as a SOUTH.
ern senator TO ask that some more ex7.
pIicit statement be made BY him. When
the senator says that they are happen
ing in the southern states, there must be
some things peculiar to%the southern
states which do not happen in other
states.
I. for that reason, would be very glad
TO ask the honorable senator what are
these things 20 which he alludes which
from time to time are happening in the
southern states which the southern states
ought not TO permit, and which. II the
southern states do permit, the national
government should correct and prohibits
Mr.. Root Mr.. President, the senator
from Georgia will recall that was dis
cussing the surrender by the government
OF the United States of the power neces-
sary effectively 10 enforce the l4th and
18th amendments. Those amendments
were designed to give to the black men
of the south protection through the exer-
else of the power that rests in suffrage.
The power of self-protection was one
OF the great moving considerations OF the
18th and 18th amendments.
Sir. there have been IN the southland
my remarks are limited to the South,
because 1t is there that the questions
arise under the 18th and 18th amend
ments. and for no other reason. and /
accompanied I the ccilhloE VIII EtilcAAl-
Der, by a frank admission that there are
many things done in the north also which
call for the reservation OF the same
power on the part Of the national gov
ernment-there have been in the south
lynchings, which / am sure the senator
from Georgia deplores as much. as do;
there has been peonage, which am sure
he deplores equally with myself; there
have been introduced into the constitu-
tons OF the southern states clauses
which are grouped under the general de-
scription Of grandfather clauses" and
which are apparently adapted to limit the
operation of the 14th and 18th amend
ments.
Mr.. President, the people of the United
States are willing, apparently. to hold
their hands and TO give godspeed to the
people OF the south in working out the
great and difficult problem that is before
them; but. sir. if it should come into the
mind Of the people of the United States