The Washington herald., 1914-02-06
SENATE DEBATES
negro QUESTION
lndulges IN Warm Discussion
Suggestive Of Ante
Bellum Days.
STARTED By MIR. JONES
Opposes Giving Appropriations Under
Smith-Lever Bill to States that
Discriminate Against Race.

The Senate indulged in q debate yes
serday afternoon that was suggestive OF
ante-bellum days. The smith-Lever bin
providing for Federal aid for college ex-
tension work In connection with the agrt-
cultural colleges OF the various States
was before the Senate. Senator Jones,
: of Washington, had an amendment pend
, ing providing in general way that none
of the appropriation carried should be
. available for any State which discrimi-
mated against the negro. He read state
ment he had prepared (which tended 10
prove that the negroes came >oue OF
slavery helpless, but that they had made
remarkable progress since. This stirred
several Southern Senator'S
In the debate that followed the condi-
tions Of slavery days were reviewed and
there were as many thrills" and 'sobs''
as may be found in a production Of Uncle
Toms Cabin. Senator Jones insisted that
the conditions of the negro in slavery
were bad. while Senator Martin and Sem
ator Vardaman argued that they were
far better on in slavery than they had
been since. Senator Vardaman suggested
that Senator Jones was addressing the
Senate from 'profundity of misinforma-
ton" on the negro question.
Understood in South,
Senator Martin, of Virginia. explained
that the negroes were better undersood
by men Of the South. and that the North
ern Senators had so little knowledge OF
the negro character that they were not
as competent to deal with the negro
problem as Senators from the Southern
States.
Senator Sherman. of Illinois, inquired
whether the Senator from Virginia real
lied that some of the Senators from the
Northern States represented a larger
negro constituency than Senators from
the South. He insisted that more negro
votes had been cast and counted in Illi-
nois in the last election than in Virginia.
He said he had 1000 negro constituents
IN his own State, and that all had a
right to vote and have their votes count
ed. He made an observation on grand
father clauses" and other restrictions
imposed by the Sopthern States on negro
franchise.
Before the debate had concluded Sena-
tor James. of Kentucky, entered the
arena long enough to say that 100000
negroes voted in Kentucky at every cleo.
tion; that their votes were counted, and
that they enjoyed the elective franchise
on equal conditions with the whites. He
said the first State TO prescribe the edu-
cational test for voters was Massachu-
setts, and that the Virginia laws, and,
In fact, the laws of most of the South
ern States prescribing the qualifications
for electors. were copied from Massa-
chusetts.
Corrected by Mr.. Lodge.
This brought Senator Lodge TO his
'eet and he explained that the Massa-
,husetts statute prescribing the educa-
fonal test was passed long before the
legroes had bees enfranchised, and at a |
ime when it could have had no refer
,nce to the negro voter.
Senator Vardaman insisted that the
of Senator Jones to turn over
he educational fund of the agricul-
,ural colleges to the negroes was like
IN offer ito guide a man through a
powder magazine with a lighted torch"
He declared that Senator Jones did not
-ealize what an injustice he was doing
he negro race.
The debate on the race question con-
.inued until o'clock. when the Sem
ate adjourned without action on the
bill