New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-01-28
MIR. CHANDLER on THE NEGRO QUESTION.
NEGRO DIsFRANcHIsrsrEST. IMPOSSIBLE -
SOLUTION OF THE RACE PROBLEM.


washington. Jan ~ Special. senator Chandler
was asked today n he thought that the proposition
~ REPRESENTATIVE Oates OF Alabama, TO disfranchse
tho negro was feasible. Mr. Chandler ephea
Most certainly not 10 cannot be done Without
Constitutional Amendment, which cannot Dc adopted.
The negro will oppose his own disnanchsemeht,
the southern states will oppose q because IL would
iesen their reprcsentaton In the House and in the
Electoral College the North will oppose u because
Il VIII be an abandonment Of the negro which would
dishonor the North and destroy the Republican
party
What will probably be General Harrison's policy
In regard to tho negro question In the south1'
lie will support tho Constitution when he taos
the office of President and no viii have no occasion
10 read the Constitution I'm order TO call 10 his mind
the XVIII Amendment Hereof, which was the last
OF the terms Of settlement yielded by the subjusaed
South TO the victorious North. Who dareS insist
that It shall not be obeyedl7
DO you agree with Senator Ingasl7 was asked.
@As understand his views he is In favor of on
forcing tho XVIII Amendment aud securing 10 the
colorcd voters their rights TO cast their ballots and
10 have them counted II he thinks this enforcement
would produce an lrrcpresslble conflict, be sees no
way TO avoid IT, / do not think that such conflict
IS inevitable
What IS your idea OF tho political situation Of the
negro IN the Southern states''
He IS theoretically Citizen the equal OF any
I'm defiance OF tho Constitution. This anomalous
condition OF affairs cannot last long The white
had better solve It before terrible rctilbuuon over
takes them
Have you any remedy to suggest to solve the
race question IN the south
perfect remedy; obedience 10 tho Constitution.
None other VIII serve. A failure 10 apply this VIII
bring 20 the south woes innumerable. II the po-
ltca rights OF the negro are conceded tho result
OF the political equality OF all men before tho law a.
tho south Will not be such as cdme from impartial
suffrage in 1867 Twenty-One years have made a
great change OF coDdtion. It IS not proven that
whites and blacks, where the latter arc I'm the
majority cannot live In tho same community on terms
Of political equality. or course there VIII he some
Fiction, but this evil must be borne patiently and VIII
be- less with the Constitution obcye1 than with The
COpsttuton violated. Political equality does not
involve social equality. Tho only obstacle 10 success
Is the determination OF the white Democrats that there
shall be no fair trial OF equal suffrage. The race
issue Is purpOsely kept alive by them in order TO
retain the Democratic party IN power In State and
Nation They know that N the negfO should divide
IN politics. as they certainly would, and tho white
should divide also, the first result would be victory
for tho Republican party Rather than this they
rasc the CRY OF race supremacy, I'D keep The South
solid by violating the ConSetuti0n and destroying
human rights. They should beware; A Republican
President, House and senate fcr Tho first time IN
twelve years, means something"