Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1889-12-05

| the 1sstowal OF the suffrage, Wilicb soon fol-
States where these new citizens WeIS chisiv
i found to adequately provide educatfgnal facif
ties. presented only exceptional but unex-
| ampled conditions.
| That the situation has been much arnaliorzked
there is no doubt. The ability Of the States has
been greatly increased. Much work remetns to
| be done and 3 think the general GoveruInent
| should lend its aid by legislation OF m
| tional grant in aid Of education. As this de-
| mAnd for aid grows chiefly out o. the conditions
descendants, the relief should. as near possi-
ble, e,wbile necessarily proceeding upon eome gen.
| eraI lines be appIied to the need that suggested
it; 1t is essential IL much good b to Be accom-
| plisLed, that the sympathy and active interest
OF the people OF the States should be enlisted
| and that the methods adopted should be such
as TO stimulate and not TO supplant local taxa
ton Tor school purposes.
As one Congress cannot bind succeeding one
| In such case, and as the effort must Be in some
degree experimental, recommend that any ap-
preparation made for This purpose be so limited
! In annnsl anount and as to the time over which
1t ia to extend will. on the one hand give the
local school authorities opportunity to make
| the best use OF the FIRST years allowance aad
| on the other deliver them from the temptatien
| to unduly postpone the assumption of the who's
burd5n themselves.
The Colored Raee.
The coIorsd people did not intrude themsefvss
| upon us; they were brought here IN chains and
held in the communities where they nre now
chiefly found by cruel slave code. Happily
Tor Tor both races, tney are now free They have,
erty, which was our shame, rot theiDs
| made remarkable advances in educa-
tion, and in the acquisition OF property. They
have, as people; shown themselves to b0
friendly and faithful toward the white race
under temptations of tremendous; strength.
They have their representatives in the
national cemeteries, where grateful govern
Inent has gathered the ashes of those who
died in it's defense They have furnished to-
our regular army regiments that have won high
Iff rnora
age and soldierly qualities, and for fideAty to
| the enlistment oath In civil life they are now
| the toilers OF their communities, makingStheir
| full contribution to the widening streams. of
prosperity which these communities are re-
| ceiying. Their sudden withdrawal would stop
production and bring disorder into the house
| hold well the shop. G. nerally they do
not desire to quit their homes and their, enl-
ployers resent the interference OF the emigra-
| tion agents who seek to stimulate such AIDE
sire. But notwithstanding all this, in mcny
parts of our country where the colored popu--
| lation is large, the peopl of that are, by
| various devices, deprived of any effective exer-
| else of their political rights and OF many Of
| their civil rights. The wrong does not expend
| itself upon those whose votes are suppressed.
| Every constituency in the Union is wronged.1
| 1t has been the hope OF every patriot that q
sense Of justice and respect for the law would
work gradual cure for these fragrant evils
| Surely, no one supposes that the present can.
be accepted as permanent condition. II tits
said that these communities must work out this
problem for themselves, we have a right TO ask e.
whether they are at work upon it, Do they sug-
gest any solution? When and under what condi-
tions is the black man to have free bRllota
When is he, in fact to have those full civil
rights which have so long been his in law2 When
is that equality OF influence which our form Of
government has intended to secure to the
| electors to be restored2 This generation should
courageOus1y face these grave questions, and
not leave them as a heritage of woe to the next.
The consultation should proceed with candor,
calmness, and great patience, upon the lines of
| justice and humanity, not of prejudice and
cruelty. No question in our country can be at
rest except upon the firm basis OF justice and Of
the law.
earnestly invoke the attention of Congress
to the consideration of such measures within
its well defined constitutional powers as will
secnre to all our people free exercise of the
right of suffrage and every other civil right
under the Constitution and laws of the United
States,
Supervision of National Elections.
Evil. however deplorable can not justify the
assertion either on the part Of the Executive or
OF Congress OF powers not granted; but both
will be highly bamable If all the powers
granted are mot wisely but firmly used to
correct these evils. The power to take the
whole direction and control of the election OF
members of the House of Representatives. Is
clearly shown by the General Government
| A partial and qualified supervision Of these
elections is now provided for by law, and
| in my opinion this law may be so strengthened
and extended as to secure on the whole better
results than can be attained by law taking all
the processes of such election into Federal con-
| LrOl. Ine COlOfe0 man eQOulu De protected III
| all of his relations to the Federal Government,
| whether q ltigant, juror, or witness in our
| courts, as an elsctor for members of Congress,
! or as peaceful traveller upon our interstate
railways,
Our Merchant Marine.
| There is nothing more Justly humiliating to
| the national pride and nothing more to
| the national prosperity than the inferiority Of
our merchant marine compared with that of
other nations 1t was not always SO, and our
people agreed, think, that 1t shall not con-
! tinue to be so. That the great steamship lines
sailing under the flags of England France,
| in foreign commerce, were promoted, and
| have since been and now are literally
| aided by grants of public money, in one form
| or another. is generally known. That the
| American lines OF steamships have been aban-
| doned by us to an unequal contest with the
| aided lines Of other nations until they have
been Withdrawn or in the few cases where they
still maintained, subject to serious dis
| advaatages, is O matter of common knowledge.
| The present situation is such that travellers
| and merchandise find Liverpool often o neces-
| sary interme diate port between New York
| and of the South American capitals.
| The fact that some of the delegates from
| South American states to the conference of
| American nations now in session at Washing
| ton reached our shores by reversing that line
of travel, is very conclusive of the need of such
| conference and very suggestive as to the first
| and most necessary step in the direction Of
| fuller and more beneficial intercourse with ma
tions that are now our neighbors upon the lines
| of latitude, but not upon the lines OF estab
| hshed commercial intercourse.
Subsidies for Ocean Mail Lines.
recommend that such appropriations be
! made for ocean mail service in American steam.
| ships between our ports and these of Central
| and South America, China, Japan, and the i'm
| portant islands in both of the great oceans,
| as will be literally remunerative for.
| the service rendered, and as will en-
| courage the establishment, and In some
| fair degree equalize the chances of American
| steamship lines in the competitions which they
| must meet. That the American States lying
| south of us will cordially cooperate in estab--
| fishing and maintaining such lines Of steam>
ships to their principal ports do not doubt.
| We should also make provision for q naval re-
| serve to consist of such merchants ships. OF
| American construction and of specified ton
| mage and speed the owners will consent
to place at the use of the Govern
ment, in case of need, as armed cruis.
ers. England has adopted this
policy, and as o result can now, upon necessity,
at once place upon her naval list some Of the
fastest steamships in the world. A proper su-
pervision Of the construction OF such vessels
would make their conversion into effective shipa
Of war very easy.
Our Foreign Commerce.
am an advocate of economy in our national
expenditures, but it Is misuse of terms 10 make
this word describe @ policy that withholds an
expenditure for the purpose OF extending
our foreign commerce. The enlargement and
improvement Of our merchant marine, the
trained American seamen, the promo,
tion of rapid and regular mail COM
| munication between the ports Of other coun.
| tries and our own and the adoption of large
, | and swift American merchant steamships to
, naval uses, in time of war, are public pur
Il .~Ak - .,l,Aok 80.