The Hawaiian gazette., 1900-06-05
LOCAL DEMOCRATIC CLAIMS.

LOCAL DEMOCRATIC CLAIMS.
We print the Democratic local plat
form, which takes the shape Of an AID
dI SIS to the People of Hawaii, and shall
discuss its various claims ana rropo
sItions in short series of editoria
articles.
For this morning it will suffice Il
point cut the inconsistency of preach
ing and practice. At the outset this ad
dress says that the party, with ''un
wayering consistency" has always in
sisted upon freedom of the press, free
dom of conscience, preservation of per-
sonal rights, the equality of all citizen;
before the law and the faithful observ-
ance OF all constitutional limitations. -
These are high sounding words, but
We challenge contradiction when we say
that they are absolutely meaningless in
the States where the Democratic party
is strongest, that is, the Southern
States. Before the war the Democracy
neither in the North or South permitted
the free and unhindered publication
of anti-slavery newspapers. A Demo-
cratic mob wrecked owen Loyejoy's
printing office at Alton and klIied him;
IA Democratic Mayor and Sheriff tried
to confiscate VIM. Lloyd Garrison S
anti-slavery paper at Boston. For years
after the war. and in some places now,
the Southern Democracy would not al
low Republican papers to be issued. So
much for Democratic respect for the
freedom of the press"
The other claims, freedom of CON
science, preservation of personal rights,
equality of all citizens before the law.
and the faithful observance of consti-
tutional limitations are wholly indie
feasible in the face of the refusal of
Southern whites in at least seven States
to let colored citizens have any of the
rights of suffrage that lawfully belong
to them. What freedom of conscience"
has a man who is driven from the bal
lot box when he wants TO vote as his
conscience dictates? What "preserva-
ton of personal rights" is there when
the rights Of citizenship are denied?
What equality of citizens" Is there
before the law when the color line in
drawn at the lawful ballot box? What
faithful observance OF constitutional
limitations" can there be when fraud
'nd force are used to annul constitu-
tlonal amendment for partisan advant-
age?
Do We take too much for granted in
the stories about Southern suppression
of the negro vote? Far from it. Every
charge We have made is supported by
the boastful testimony of Senator b. r.
Tillman of South Carolina in his article
IN Leslies Weekly for May II, on How
The South Suppressed the Negro Vote.
Here is telling paragraph towards the
close:
The suppression OF the colored vote,
irst by force and fraud and later by con
titutional methods. has been the subject
If much adverse criticism by those who
inew nothing about the horrors of car
let-bag rule. but those who participated
n the struggle TO wrest the State from
n" band of robbers who had used the |
gnorant and debascd negro vote to waste |
'ur substance and destroy our civlliza-
ion have no apologies to make and will |
cave to the imDartial historian Of tho
uture the question as to whether the end |
justified the means. The people OF South |
'arolina do not doubt what the verdict
'ill be; neither do they care.
And after that the great Democratic
aader compares the native Hawailans
o the negroes and demands the same
oppressive treatment fon both classes.
speaking of the opinion of the South,
he stronghold of Democracy. Mr.. Till
nan says: There viii be no liberation
# a policy which demands one course
0 be followed in the South and another
Il Hawaii ana the Spanish Islands.
In the Sou,h, where the race ques
ion is understood, lAere is little diff
erenee Of opinion as to not wanting
ny more colored people added to our
population"
So much for the truth about the OPEN
ng claims in the Democratic platform.
nd more anon
to II