Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1900-01-05
SPIRIT OF THE PRESS
FACTS AND OPINIONS GATHERED
FROM CONTEMPORARIES.
A QUESTIONABLE STEP.

CUES IlONABlt b let.
There has been kind of rumbling
threat in the air of inner Republican cir
cles for several years that the represent
alton of the southern states in the nation
al house of representatives shall be re-
duced by political scheme that has at
times found favor in that party. This is
proposed to be done under art IA, sec =,
of the amendments TO the constitution.
1t has come into being from the disap-
pointment of the Republicans in not OBJ
tanning the support they expected from
the southern vote. They thought that
colored suffrage ia the southern states, as
provided for in the fifteenth constitution.
al amendment, would give their party a
large support in that section of country.
1t had this effect for some years after the
civil war was over. 1t, indeed, gave the
Republicans the ascendency in all the
southern states. Unfortunately, they
made a bad use of their power. They
were represented in the men who con-
trolled their party in the South by adven-
turers, rather than by good citizens.
These men recklessly brought the most
Objectionable class of colored people into
O0ICe. DttWttu thC lNo NioSoCos VIM
represented what was the least estmabe
in both races, they nearly ruined the
commonwealth they esssyed to govern,
This was all laid at the door of negro suf-
frage, and much Of il belonged there.
Negro suffrage was hazardous expert
ment under the best conditions, because
the great mass of those who exercised it
were Ignorant, irresponsible and other
wise untitled for its use. 1t was made
worse by the men who undertook to d.
rect It, from their INSCRIPTIONS charac-
ter They wronged the negro more than
any others, by putting him in his worst
phase before the people of the South and
of the nation.
From this bad beginning, negro suf-
Mage has become more than od'ouS to the
whites at the South. 1t has been made a
threat and a terror TO them. When they
at last took away the power of welding
it AS a political instrument from the
white carpet-baggers and the coored
politicians whom they had trained to act
with them, they made resolution that
it should never 60 back into their hands
They have RECONSIDERATION hastily, as
it seems to us-that the depOrable re-
suits which had been brought about by
negro suffrage we're inherent in and alb
solutely certain to be under its exercise
and that they must prevent this at al
hazards. A specimen instance of the
feeling and expression was seen in thu
case of a Charleston (S.C) lawyer, VIII
said: "We have had the foot of the Sen
egambian upon our necks-it shall neve
be there again" Here is really the Ike,
toa great deal of the suppression of tn
southern colored vote. The exercise o
il had wrought such havoc in the pros
perity of the South that the intelllgen
white people felt that they were iustifie
in taking any measure TO prevent its re
currence. If negro suffrage must of ne
cessity produce such results as were OF
tanned from it in alliance with carpet-ba
politicians, there was some excuse fo
this. Suppression of colored voting
better than ruin with anarchy and tn
calicaturing of legislation. No one G
temperate mind, we are disposed to bt
lieye, desires to see the cOlOred race don
inant over the white race in the cOntrC
of the governments of the souther
states. The trouble with the white {
the South, to our apprehension, is tina
in their dread of the recurrence of whi
has been done there, they have exagge
ated the danger of the negro voting, an
have underestimated their own power
counteract its effects.
We have stated above the ostensibl
position of the southern leaders, but "
find 1t difficult to believe that they al