The daily journal. (Salem, Or.) 1899-1903, 1900-09-20


reported observation Of mine in
speech al Spokane q fea days ago. NOV
what The paper says I said, is the yer
sion that the reporter lives, which
not by any means an accurate represen
tation Of what did say. Some Of il
however. will stand by. II is % wri,
ten as not TO be guarded. and is not IN
language I used.
"This gentleman complains because
tcld that man that interrupted me tha
be.wasnot trying to do the right thing. bu
TO put Democrat in hole. The maj
who interrupted me asked, How abou
the negroes in the South2' said 'befor,
answering that question would like q
have him answer one for me: Was he IL
favor Of what was beingdone in the Soutl
OF nOl2 He said be asked me a question
and wanted 10 know II would answer IL
he refused TO answer the question PM
10 him. II he had ansvered my question
iayorably. should have asked him
why he was complaining about iC II he
approved IL; and If he had told me he
did not approve Of it, would have ask
ed him instantly why, when there was
a race problem forus todeal with bere al
home. in America, he was anxious u
import a new race question ten times
! more difficult.
Il distinguish between the negroes in
the South and bis treatment there, and
this proposed government Of the Fill.
pinoe, as clearly as between liberty and
oppression right and wrong, justice and
injustice. In the first place, this condi-
ton in the South is one that the people
there did not seek. II WAS thrust upon
them. This difficulty in the Philippines
we are asked 10 go out and meet volun-
tarily, knowing what it is. Here is one
in the South that the people who live
there have got TO meet. do not by any
means approve Of all that is done in the
South with reference to the treatment Of
the negto, and do not have to defend
the proposition in orden TO defend the
Democratic programme against the
Philippine policy.
"The problem confronting the white
people Of the south is very difficult one,
a very serious one. Here Is a race liber.
ated from bondage, never having been
taught responsibility, their masters
always clothing and feeding them, not
knowing what it is to pave against a
rainy day, not their own providers in
any sense, dependent by ingrained
nature no less than habit. They could
not appreciate the responsibilities Of
government. They had not tried it.
They were freed in an instant, and given
the full power Of freeman's ballot, and
while IL may be said that they did not
know how 10 use it, let me ask, would
any other people know how to use ii
under similar circumstances2 Ii is no
against them that they we're
not ready in all respects for this great
liberty when IL came TO them. There
never lived a race In the world who, hay
ing such short time for advancement,
have dem onstrated such capacity for
progress under new conditions. There
they are. Inevitably they are clannish.
they are alien TO whites, and
the Southern policy which undertakes 10
own the franchise Of the Southern negro
increases the difficulty Of the question.
As stated by some Southerners, IL is a
case Of shall the negro rule, or shall the
white man? Since the races will not
divide up the powers as they might, but
hold them according 10 their convictions;
since they will remain in these two
camps, II is impossible 10 avoid crowding
one out, say those who live in the South,
TO whose Judgment yield considerable
weight. Then, since II ia impossible TO
avoid this alternative In many Of these
either the neglo will have
10 20 or we must. Since the alternative
is forced, II is essential that we rule until
these people become better educated,
and by their methods OF life in taking
care OF themselves, earning for them.
selves a living, they cultivate a higher
respect for law and property, am
bound TO admit that with me there is a
great deal Of weight in these considera.
tions.
at Is the law OF the United States
that these things are under the control
Of the yariols states, subject TO Consti.
tutional regulation. II such state laws
become obnoxious 10 the Constitution OF
the Uuitel States the Supreme Court
viii not tolerate them. But II these
regulations shall be drawn 80 as 10
provide an educational qualification, and I
are not based on color, ETC., they will
have parallels throughout our history.
| would call attention that in New
Hampshire and Massachusetts you must
pay poll tax before voting. In Mas
sachusets and Connecticut thete Is an
qualification for voting. In
Connecticut you must also show good
moral character, and in Rhode Island
the voter must be holder Of real estate.
do not mention these to show they are
wrong. II 10 simply 10 show the state
control, subject 20 the limitations Of the
Constitution mentioned.
Gould you try any one OF these me-
groes Il ere without iury2 OF course
you could by lynch law, but we are not
in position to throw stones on this shb.