Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1888-12-07


been intImated in some quarters
that Mr.. Cleveland would veto it.
Representative Samuel J. Ran
dali came to Was hlngton on Satur
day. lie has almost entirely re-
covered his health, but owing to
the orders OF his physician, he will
not attempt for some tins to regu.
larry occupJ his seat in the House,
The defeat of the free traders has
put Mr.. Randall back into bis old
place as leader Of the Democrats in
the House.
The stranger as he sits in the
gallery Of the House Of Represen-
tatiyes has no difficulty IN naming
the politics of each member as he
enters the Hall. The Republicans
still wear the smiles they put on
the day after the election, and the
Democrats all look something like
professional pail bearers at a tuner.
al.
Some men will have n0toriety,
even if it is necessary to make
asses Of themselves in order to OBJ
tain it. One would think that
Representative Oates, of Alabama,
who led the filibusterers IN their at.
tack on the Direct.tax bill last
spring, had gained enough notori
ETY. at that time to last him at
least one year, but 1t seems not.
He has announced himself az the
special champion of movement to
disfranchise the negro. This man
talks about legally depriving the
negroes Of their votes as if it was
the simplest thing in the world to
dO-almOst as easy as they now
illegally do it in his own and other
Southern States. The idea is al.
most too absurd to be even seri.
ously considered by anyb dy.
Aside from any question OF right
and wrong that may be involved,
the Southern politicians would re.
sist the proposition from motives
of policy. If adopted 1t would de-
prive the South of about one third
Of its present representation in the
House Of Represen tatives and in
the Electoral College. The reason
given for this most remarkable and
extraordinary proposition is, that
the negro as a class is ignorant.
That assertion is, unfortunately
for the poor negro a true one, but
if the negro is to be deprived OF
his citizenship on account of his
ignorance, why not carry the idea
to its logical conclusion and de.
prive the hOOdlums of New York
and other large cities OF their right
to vote? The negro is ignorant
because he has had no opportunity
to be otherwise. The Democratic
hoodlums of New York are both
ignorant and vicious from choice.
No sane man will assert that the
average negro of Alabama is lmore
ignorant or less capable Of intelli.
gently casting his ballot than the
average hoodlum of New York or
any other large city, and yet there
is not a Democrat in the country
who would dare to make a propo-
sitiOn to adopt a constitutional
amendment depriving the hood
Ium of his vote. Why7 Simply
because he hoOdlum always votes
the Democratic ticket. AS long as
the South persists in sending such
men as Mr.. Oates to Congress the
color line will exist in Southern
politics. Mr. Oates, and men OF
his callbre may as we'll make up
their minds that as long as this
Republic exists the negro will be
citizen thereof in every sense of the
word. This is an age of progress,
not of retrogression.
1t Is generally understood here
that il Represen ,ative Mckinley is
a candidate for the Speakership of
the next House, Representative
ButterwOrth will not be. AS the
question now stands it Is the East
against the West, the Eastern
members mostly fayorlng Mr.. Reed
Of Maine, and the Western mem.
bers dividing their support among
Messrs. Cannon, of Illinois Bur.
rows, Of Michigapi and Mckinley
and Butterw orth, of Ohio, 1t is
a friendly rivalry, and
any one of the gentlemen named
will make an excellent Speaker,
and one that will give satisfaction
to Republicans of every section.
The Democrats, or rather q large
of them will endeayOr to
give the complimentary nomins-
ion for Speaker to Mr.. Randall, az
F, slight compensation for the
he has received at the
Iands Of Mr.. Cleveland, Carlisle,
Mills, and other FREQ traders,
hiring the Dresent administration. |