The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1900-05-11

ates VINO re8lstsFou - vut<E oeAofe Dsos
| 1st, 1904 hut appliss an educational test
after that date, II disfr inchises every
negro who cannot read and write any
section OF the constitution except such ~
ars descsndsd from the old free negroes
who voted prior to 1ss5. In North Caro-
lima or such as have come into the State
from other stats where negroes could
alt has been charged that the amend
ment contains q property qualification,
but this II . mistake.
"Of course the ofjsot Of the amend
ment II to eliminats the Ignorant negro
vote, and sure tbs supremacy OF the
best citizens Of the state to b the only
way In which they can preserve their
heritage and escape repstition OF their
recent experiences. There Is surely Q
necessity for this kind Of iegislation, and
there 10 no wrong or ipjustics In It. The
southern psopJe are forced 20 resort 70 10,
II they would preserve their civilization
and self prsservaiion u the first law
for people as for individuals. II We were
dealing with abstract principles Of right
a. between equals It would be proper to
insiss.thas ths Limitations on suffrage
where they exist, should apply 10 both
races alike. bus this very basis OF our
For 5000 years the one has BEEN servant
OF servants In all lands; the other for
centuries has rulsd the earth.
sit IL stupid and criminal TO force them
to live together with equal rights and
privileges 70 each. heoauss such . condi-
and eventually the expulsion OF annihila-
ton OF the weaker raos. what does
huma pity, what does statesmanship-
which 10 common sense applied 10 public
affsirr dictate ~ the best and wfsest
oourss 10 be pursued under such condi-
49, Of q -. A La
display the courage Of their conviotions
on thia subjeotf Do you tell me that edu-
cation will be the cure-all for this state
of thingsf
al Yield to no man In my estimate OF
che supreme Importance OF popular edu.
cation, although I know that In the
country where 10 was developed first, even
BY . compulsory process. there has been
and 10 despotism. and military arfstoo-
rAcy; but the experience OF nearly 10
Year, in these Southern states has demon
strated that any other than Industrial
education for the negro simply means, In
tbs homely phrase OF Uncle hemus, the
ton of social mistit or something worse.
I do not hesitate 60 express the opinion
that (while would not apply the test, to
the white mani IL can be done BY any
constitutional methe d, 10 would be much
wiser to require . property qualification
E0Au An 81 uU3btOuhA OuT AVt bAD aokAO
voter, but, until some letter way out OF
our troubles 10 provided. the one adopted
10 Louisiana and proposed in North Caro-
Ina sesms TO give the only hope Of relief,
Relief We must have. es 10 admitted By
all except the fanatisal enemies Of the
South and Its people. We do not want to
get it by fraud or force. and 1t was
cruel wrong 10 place us In position
where We were compelled to resort to one
or the other OF them for self protection.
u wss not only cruel to the Southern
people, but was injurious to the best a
terests Of the whole country, because In
addition to barring out Immigration and
affecting material growth. 1t has pre-.
vented display OF that honest 1iherenoe
CT or aion on all questions politicalwhtch
would other v ise have found expression
to the advancement OF the puoiic gooc,
and has narrowed the view OF our peopl'
like the sword Of Damocles, has hung
suspended above ~.
"No people have ever had to wrestls
with such Q multiforD problem Tor so
long time, and believe In my soul
that no other people would have 90 pa
tisntly and 90 houorabIy dealt with 10 as
We haze. II must strike the future his
torian as both astounding and infinitely
oreditabls to the Southern people that Tor
o third Of century, though then poorer
than ever before, they taxed themselves
literally for the education OF the children
OF the negroes, provided them with asyl-
ums for their all cited, employed them
almost exclusively as artisans and labor
ers, sympathizsd with them In their sor-
rows. and helped them In their troubles;
and yet every year In that whole period
saw these same negroes 60 to the polls
with unfailing regularity, and vots as a
unit and a. race, against their every
interest, against good gossrnmsnt' and
the welfare OF both raoea-bue still con-
tinued TO employ them end aid them a.
before. II 10 without parallel In human
history.
"Io the light of such q record. and the
results Of unqualified negro suffrage.
no man can justly say shat II sppiies 70
others or not, is unrighteous or aggres-
sive. II will not do TO say that II the
iiiitsrate negro 10 diafranchised, the illit-
crate white man should also be derived
Of his vote. A very large proportion OF
illitsrate white men have an Intelligent
understanding Of what they are voting
for. and Of the merits OF candidates Tor
tireIy land 10 ought always to be kept In
mind they have been accustomed all
their lives to hear political discussions.
These things cannot truthfally be said OF
one illiterate negro In live hundred.
Doctrinairea and moraiists may theorize
anu 0oxIuntAzo iuftvcHB uus shoJ s@"oSs
convince an Anglo-Saxon that negroes
oughs to participate In the govern ment
OF white men. and q statesman will al
ways recognize this insuperable fact In
dealing with the negro problem In the
south.
"What the neers needs 10 not political
power. but the help ana sympathy OF the
whits people among whom he lives, and
which they have always stood ready to
give, but which he hiss done his best to
nuliify. Il IL not his natural inclination,
but the result OF false and vicious train
lag since his emancipation. Not only
does he need this help and sympathy but
will perish without 10. He Will never.
however, receive Il as he has dons until
he abandons the idea OF political power.
white supremacy 10 absolutely ESSENTIAL
to his welfare. because 1t means the sal
Walton IN those things uuon whtof. his
every interest depsnds. IL 10 madness In
him, and cruelty In those who 90 advise
him. TO resist It. Tfers Is In every
civilized community force supsrier to
any written statute-ths force OF an over
uhelming public opinion-and when this
public or inion Is based, as In this case,
upon race pride supplemented By the les