The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-03-23
FRIDAY, MARCH %, 1900.
THE CURSE OF TIE NATION.

A recent article in the New York
journal Of Commerce, discussing the cot
ton crop Of 1899 and comparing it with
the cotton crop Of 1900, shows that the
South will be made about eight hundred
uniliions of dollars richer by these two
crops. The writer then asks, what will
this do for southern politics and southern
trade and the railroads"
We fear that there will not be much
improvement in southern politics so long
as the Fifteenth Amendment to the Con-
stitution of the United States securing
the solid mass of ignorant negroes the
right to vote. remains a part of the law
of the land That is the most terrible
: curse ever inflicted lpon any country 1t
rcor,upts the foundation and source of all
OF our institutions, and must continue to
degrade them until a result is reached,
which makes every friend Of his country
tss5hudder in contemplating it. We asked
iryesterday If the Chicago Times-Herald
really believed that the man Who wrote
the Fourteenth and Fifteenth Amend
ments to the Constitution of the United
States, conferred a blessing on his coun-
try. What we meant to ask the Chicago
paper was this: Was the ,enfranchise-
1nent OF the negro a blessing either to
Hrim or to the country at large?
There can be no question that one pro-
vision OF the Fourteenth Amendment is.
a blessing to any country that has it as
part of its Fundamental! law. We refer.
~, oil 1,or or
a,aturalizcd in the United States, citizens
of the United States, and fcrbdding amy
State OF this Union to make or enforce
amy law dcp,iving a CITIZEN of the United
States of his privileges and im1nunlties
as such citizen. and forbidding any State
To deprive any person Of life, liberty or
property without due process of law. or
TO deny to any person the equal orotec-
1ion Of laws. That provision Of this
Amendment is the greatest piece OF or
gandc legislation that has ever been
adopted in any country since Magma
Charter. The other provisions of the
Fourteenth Amendment might we'll have
been omitted. but tn. Fifteenth Amend
,nent, which was intended 20 secure and
does secure to the whole mass OF negroes
the right to vote, is an unmidgated curse
that must finally depopula1e the Southern
States. and turn our fair land into
blichted wilderness unless can find
some means of escaping from its per-
micious influences. 1t is strange that the
country does not wake up to tae inl-
portance OF this matter. The vote Is Of
no sort Of value to the negro, it does not
contribute In the smallest degree to en-
ablinG him to secure protection In his
rights OF person and property. 1t simply
results in the degradation of the white
man without any corresponding benefit
whatever TO the negro.
The people OF Massachusetts and Maine.
and OF all the Northern States, OUGHT to
have foresight enough 10 see that poll
teal gangrene of this sort in the Sorth
must react upon them and must produce
Consequences fatal TO them in time. A
poison of this kind in a body polite will
necessarily circulate in time through
every part OF II, and will necessarily in
fec, every part and parcel OF It unless it
Is extirpated, root and branch. II seems
Z to US the letEiargy of the Southern
States in regard 10 this mater is fatal
me Fifteenth Amendment should be re-
pealca, and then me Southern States
would provide tina, as individual NEGROES
QuaHGed themselves for the suffrage.
/ they would be allowed to vote. and titus
our society would be saved from; the au-
sailing calas,1i ~ that now hangs over It.