The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1911-03-03
StNhTOR LEROY PtRCy
OPPOSES BORAH BILL
Saws Sutherland Amendment Is Toe
Big Price.

Washington, Feb, 27.-For the sec
ond time during the pendency of the
resolution to amend the constitution n
of the United States to Pc rmit he ele c.
tion of Senators by direct vote, sena-
tor Leroy Percy of Mississippi addr' ss-
ed the Senate.
Ia his speech he declared that the
Sutherland amendment providing for
Federal control Of elections to choose
senators wonld be too great price to
nav for the Borah resolution. and while
he favored the proposition to elect Sen
ators by direct vote, he could not vote
for the resolution with the Sutherland
amendment attached. Since then, the
Switzerland amendment has been ad-
opted, and today Senator Percy Joined
Senator Bacon of Georgia in presenting
the views of the opposing senators. A
vote on the resolution will be taken to-
morrow.
Senator Perl aid in part:
GIVES CONGRESS TOO MUCH.
at is conceded that under the reso-
luton now submitted carrying the
Sutherland amendment the Federal
Congress could take entire control of
the election of Senators by the people,
would have the power to appoint fed
erai reg strars to determine who was
entitled to register, federal supervisors
and federal jndges to hold the election,
deputy United States Marshals to carry
out the orders of such federal judges
and supervisors, and the army of the
United States could be used to rein
force such deputy lMarshals; return
ing board could be named to canvass
the election returns. and the Senator
would bear to the Senate not commits
sion from the governor of the State, hut
a certificate from such board.
''Such lower has never existed in re-
gard to the election of senators since
the creation of the Government. Shall
we now confer it upon congress?'
is the South, already unoer it's pri-
election laws. enjoying the bene-
- 7lecting senators by the people,
vAg to so extend the power of the
FL d .rai Government in order to give
this privilege to states who do not care
for the privilege?
"The Federal Government can never
intervene in the South, save to the in
jury of both races.
''They say they are willing for the
South to handle the race problem as
long as she handles it to suit congress.
SOUTH CAN HANDLE RACE CUES
TlON.
"My reply is that whenever congress
South, either at the dictate of political
necessity or as the misguided victim of
maudIin philanthropy. l wish to limit
the area OF it's perDicious activity as
far as possible, certainly never, by my
vote, to extend that power beyo ond what
it is today.
"The South can ahd will maintain e
white mans government under it's con-
stitution and laws. The conservative,
honest, God-fearing people of the South
will administer those laws in justice
and honesty.
"The demogague at home, she will
take care Of, he will preach either the
repea! OF the fifteenth amendment or
race determination, as he thinks will
best serve his purpose, but in the long
long run intelligence will control Bat
interference by federal government
woald iRflame the passions of both
races, give the demagogue his oppor-
tunity, wrest the control of the govern
ment from the conservative thinking
people, and while it might give the ne
gro the opportunity Of voting as to
which he is Indifferent, it would strip
him Of protection rs to his life, liberty
and property.
/sTo support the resolution would be
mistake by senators from any section;
in Southern senators it would be q
blunder amounting to crime.
with or without federal interfer-
ence in Southern elections, the white
mans government there will be main
tained, but with such interference the
animOsities aroused by it might render
sible.
Attacks School Principal.
A severe attack on school principal