The Dallas express. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1893-1970, 1919-12-13
REPUBLICAN TREACHERY AL
LEGGED RESPONSIBLE FOR DE.
FEAT OF MADDEN BILL.
Madden Betrayed BY His Party To
Gust Jim Crow Cars from Inter-
State Commerce Chairman Esch
Changes FrOnt-DemOcrats Real
YictOrs-$60,OOO,OOO For Jim-CrOw
Cars.

Washington, d. c., Dec. 11.--By a
vote of 142 to - the Madden Amend
ment to the Esch Railroad Bill was
defeated in the House last Saturday
The amendment contains the essen
tial features of the Madden Bill and
was designated to GUST the jim-crow
car from Interstate traffic. Hear
ing was had on the bill last Septem-
Der before the House Interstate and
Foreign Commerce Committee, at
which time Congressman Martin b.
Madden Of Illinois and representative
from the Colored American Council
urged that the features of the bill
be included in railroad legislation
returning the roads to private owner
ship. At this time it was pointed
out that the cost of the system under
private ownership was $20,000,000
and, as the Esch Bill carried over
$700.000,000 of which 100000, 900
raised by national taxation would
go to the support of the jim-crow
car system, it was urged that this
amount be reduced by the elmina-
ton of the jim-crow car.
The proposal precipitated sharp
partisan discussion in the sub-com-
mittee having charge of the prepare
ton of the Esch Bill and also in the
full committee When the bill was
reported out, however, the provisions
Of the Madden Bill were absent. 1t
was given out at that time the
Republicans had given way to the
Democrats in order to prevent a
deadlock and get the Esch Bill re-
ported out. A suggestion was also
made that Congressman Madden
might offer the substance of the bill
as an amendment to the Esch Bill
with full assurance of Republican
support Mr.. Esch on Friday even
ing, after the session, promised Mr..
George II. Murray that when the
amendment came up on the floor he
would give it his support, There has
been for some time, however, a
strong undercurrent of opposition by
Republicans from jim-crow car
States to the legislation. 1t was
thought though that inasmuch as it
was party matter they would be
won over.
AS soon as Mr.. Madden presented
the amendment Congressman Bark
ley of Kentucky and Congressman
Blanton of Texas attacked the ger
maneness of the proposal. This line
of attack had been anticipated by
Congressman Madden and his advis-
ers, and he was able to present a
defense which was sustained by
Congressman Walsh of Massachusetts,
N no mi nf
whole. Unable to avoid a vote on
the merits of the proposition, the
Democrats opened up a vicious at
tack upon it from racial grounds, in
which the usual and appealing argu-
nents of white supremacy. miscege-
nation, social equality, rape lynching
ETC., were brought into play. From
the Republican side Representatives
Homer P. Snyder of Little Falls, New
York, and Caleb r. Layton of Della
ware expressed sympathy and an in
tention to support the Democratic OPP
position. AS the debate progressed
II was evident that the Republicans
had secretly planned to betray Mad
den and, when the vote was taken
this became an accomplished fact
Among the prominent Republicans
voting with the Democrats against
the hill were Chairman Esch of the
Interstate Commerce Committee OF
the House of Representative and
Samuel f. Winslow of the Fourth
Massachusetts district.
Among those who remained true
to Mr.. Madden and the Colored peo-
pie were Representative William S
Greene of Massachusetts,, chairman
of the Republican Caucus Committee
Edward l.. Hamilton of Michigan
and William J. Browning of New
jersey.
Aside from the disappointment
which naturally follows the result
of Republican treachery. the vote and
debate revealed many interesting
things. One of the most interesting