The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-05-12
SATURDAY. MAY Il, 1900.
MIR. BoURKE COCHRAN ON NEGRO
SUFFRAGE

The speech of MIR. Bourke Cochran. at
Montgomery, Alabama, at the meeting of
the convention TO consider the status of
the negro. is one of the most notable
events OF the day. 1t took a very high
order of intelligence in man who has
never lived in the South 10 understand
and appreciate the actual condition of
affairs in the South and the actual rela-
4ions existing between the white man and
the negro, as MIR. Cochran shows he has
appreciated it; and the courage necessary
Tor placing, himself boldly and unequivo-
caliy before his felfow-cit:zens of the
North, as he has done, as an advocate
of the repeal Of the fifteenth amendment
and the Acknowledgement of the negro.
was courage of the highest order. Mr..
Cochran was perfectly right when he
declared that the Theoretical! status of the
negro under the constitution should be
reconciied with, his actual status In the
public opinion of the country. There
must necessarily be perpetual strife and
discord In every community when the
Fundamental law of that community is
one thing and the aspirations, hopes,
wishes and iongings of the dominating
people who dwell in that community are
IN direct opposition to that fundamental
law. Ages only can change that nature
in the people, and the Wise Ruler there
fundamental law into consonance with
the nature of the people.
Mr.. Cochran was also perfectly right
when he said that the repeal of the
amendment would be best for the negro
rs well as for the white man. 1t is essen
tial Tor the future development of the
negro, If that be possible. in the perpetual
strife between him and he white people
that must go on, while the fundamental
law of the land holds out 10 him a posi-
btlity OF ruling. The whites being the
predominating power, there can be but
one result and that result may always
be foretold by reference to what took
place last year, IN Wilmington, North
Carolina, and in what took place fifteen
Years ago, at Danrille, Virginia. The
aegro's aspirations whilst the fifteenth
amendment lasts, necessarily bring him
into physical conflict with the white race,
and when that conflict: occurs there can
be but one result and that is the result
to which every humane man closes his
eyes while deploring At The fifteenth
amendment must be repealed or strife
and the degradation of public morals must
be the perpetual fate of The Southern
people.
The fifteenth amendment is utterly
wrong in theory. 1t provides that no
State shall abridge the right of voting on
account OF race, color or previous condi-
ton of servitude. That is an utterly
wrong theory in government. Suffrage
IS not inherent in individuality Suffrage
pertains TO the domain of expediency.
Suffrage is essentially question of 10
caiity In some localities women are
permitted to vote, in others males are
allowed 10 vote. and no male under q
years is allowed 10 Vote. In others only
males are allowed 10 vote. and no male
under Is years is allowed 10 vote and
there are various abridsments OF snf-
frage even in States which boast of their
Republicanisn,. as Massachusetts and
Rhode Island do. It might Doe that a vast
horde OF Chinese and Maiays should set
into California. If that should happen.
We :nsis, that the Americans in California
ought to have the right TO prohibit; the
suffrage 10 these Chinese and Malays,
because ueey were Chinese and MaiaSs.
and the central authority. as the United
States Is in this country. should not have
power 10 break up the Laws of the clN-
fornians5 d!sfranchising Chinese and Ma
Jays On the other hand the people of
Colorado choose to allow women TO vote.
and We insist that the central authority
should not have power 10 prohibit them
from doing this. Equally. Massachusetts
and New York refuse TO allow women to
Sote md syss insist that the t.entra, ,,oryer