St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1884-07-22

appear TO rlgnI Dy Sucl govern ment as ours
could not be disregarded by any civilized ma
ton. In the treaty of Washington we lee
the world to means of escape from the hor-
rers of war, and it is to be hoped that the
era when international differences shall be
decided by peaceful arbitration is not far off.
EQUAL RIGHTS OF CITIZENSHIP.
The central idea of Republican form Of
government is the rule of the whole people
as opposed to other forms which rest upon a
privileged class. Our forefathers, in an at
tempt to erect a new government which
nigh represent the advanced thought of the
world at that PERIOD upon the subject OF
governmental reform, advanced the idea OF
peoples sovereignty, and thus laid the basis
of our present republic. While technically
a government of the people, it was In strict
ness only government of portion of the
people, excluding from all participation a
certain other portion, held in a condition OF
absolute despotic and hopeless servitude,
| the parallel to which, fortunately, does not
now exist in any modern Christian nation.
With the elimination, however, of another
cycle of advanced thought in America, the
republic suddenly assumed the full character
of government, when the people and four
millions of human creatures emerged from
the condition of bondsmen to a full status of
freemen, theoretically invested with the same
civil and political rights possessed by their
former masters. The subsequent legislation
which, guaranteed by every legal title citizen
ship and full equality before the law, in all
respects this previous disfranchised people
amply covers the requirements and secures
to them, so far as legislation can, the privi-
leges of American citizenship But the dis
agreeable fact that while, theoretically, we are
in the enjoyment of the government of the
whole people, practically we are almost as far
from it as we were in the a1ste-beluns days of
the republic. There are but a few lead
ing and indisputable facts which cover the
whole statement of the case. In manv
southern states the colored population is in
large excess of the white. The colored peo-
pie are Republican, as are also consider
able portion of the white people. The re-
naming portion Of the latter are Democrats.
In the face OF this incontestible truth those
states invariably return Democratic majOrl-
ties. In other states of the south, the col
ored people, although not majority, form a
very considerable body of the population, and
with white Republicans, are numerically in
excess of the Democrats, yet precisely the
same political result obtains, the Democratic
party invariably carrying the elections. 1t
is not even thought advisable to allow an oc-
casional or unimportant election to be car
ried by the Republicans as 'blind" or a
| stroke of .Ti,eeSse. Careful and impartial
investigation has shown these results to fol
low the systematic exercise of physica,
intimidation and violence conjoined with
the most shameful devices ever praoticed in
| fha nff aln Co Arra aaf
has this result become that we are brought
face to face with extraordinary political fact
that the Democratic party of the south relies
almost entirely upon the methods stated fe
its success in national elections. This un
lawful perversion of the popular franchise
which desire to state dispassionately and il
a manner comporting with proper dignity o
the occasion, is one of deep gravity to thu
American people in a double sense. First
it is in violation, open direct and fragrant
of the primary principles upon which ou
government is supposed to rest, viz: tina
the control of the government il
participated in by all the le-
gally qualified citizens in accordance
ity withsthe plan of popular government, thai
majorities must rule in the decision of al
questions. Second, it is in violation of the
rights and interests of the states wherein are
centered the great wealth and industries o.
the nation, and which pay an Overwhelming
4 portion of the national taxes. The immens,
aggregation of interests embraced within an(
the greater population Of these other states o
the Union are subjected every four years t
dangers Of wholly fraudulent, show the nu
merical strength under this system of minor
tiles, actually attempt to direct our natona
affairs, and though up to this time success
has not attended their efforts to elect presi
dent, yet the success has been SO perilousl,
imminent as to encourage repetition of th
effort at each quadrennial election, and to sub
ject the interests of the overwhelming major
of our people to the hazards of illegal sub
version. The stereotyped argument in refu
tation of this plain truth is that if the Repub
lican element was really in the majority the,
could not be deprived of their rights ant
privileges by the minority, but neither sta
tistics Of the population nor unavoidable
logic of the situation can be overridden O
escaped. The colored people of the soutl
have recently emerged from the bondag,
of their present political oppressors. The,
have had but few advantages for education
which might enable them to compete witt
the whites. As have heretofore maintained
in order to achieve ideal perfection of popu
lar government, 1t is absolutely necessary tina
the masses should be educated. This propo
sition applies itself with full force to tn,
colored people south. They must have bet
ter educational advantages, and thus be en-
abled to become the intellectual peers Of thei
white bretheren as many of them undoubt
edly are. A liberal school system should b,
provided for the rising generation of tn
south, and the colored people be made a
= | 90 10 rf sip tba slutia nf ala
as the white people. In the meantime it i
the duty of our national government to g
beyond the resolutions and declarations OF
the subject and to take such actio,
as may lie in its power to secure absolut,
freedom of national elections everywhere, u
the end that our congress may cease to con
tain members representing fictitious MAORI
ties of their people, thus mis-dirccung tn
popular will concerning national legislation
and especially to the end that in presdentis
contests the great business and other inter
ests of the country may be placed in fear an,
trembling lest unscrupulous minority shoul
succeed in sitting the wishes of the majority
In accordance with the spirit of the last reso
luton of the Chicago platform, measure
should be taken at once TO remedy this grea
evil.
FOREIGN IMMIGRATION.
Under our liberal institutions subjects an
citizens of every nation have been welcome
to home in our midst and on complianc
with our laws to cooperation in our govern
ment. While it is the policy of the Repub
lican party to encourage the oppressed Q
other i.ations, and offer them facilities 70
becoming useful and intelligent citizens II
I the laCal definition of the term the mart
has never contemplated the admission of
class of servile people, who are not onl
unable to comprehend our institutions
but indisposed to become part of our ma
tional family, or embrace a higher ciyiliza
ton tIa., tfair II. admit Sr,ch mi