The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1900-04-18

count and whose heart is always bleed
Ing for the wrongs Of the poor negro
down south. Why don't these hypo-
critics and corruptionists give the poor
white man Of Rhode Island a chance
fol his political life?
Governor Davis also told me that
about 40 Republican multimillionaires
absolutely control the politics Of the
state. another evidence of the much
vaunted purity of the Republican par
ty. Some day, somehow, that old anti
quated constitution and apportionment
vii! be busted. and men will have
their rights.
Still another sign Of the love of lib
erty possessed and exhibited by Rhode
Island Republicans is the fact that
they still maintain and uphold n prop
erty qualification on the right of suf-
frage, the only state in the Union, /
believe, which retains that relic of
barbarism.
l here quote a most peculiar cam
paign document issued by the Rhode
Island Democrats:
AN APPEAL TO REGISTRY VOTERS IN CITIES
Rhode Island is peculiar in having a class of
half voters. About 10000 voters, constituting in
every city majority of the electorate are de-
prived of the American right of voting for city
council.
Against this wrong Democrats have at Gil times
protested In both senate and house at the re-
cent session Of the general assembly they pre-
sented and voted for amendment to the state
constitution comforting the right, but were op-
posed and defeated by the solid Republican ma
jority.
No reason exists for this disfranchisement Tn.
der the limited suffrage both Providence and
Pawtucket have higher rates of taxation and far
larger debts than are averaged by cities Of the
same size in other states.
Registry voters of cities, you going to con.
tinue year after year in political serfdom? Do
you intend to initiate the southern negroes who
supported the Confederate armies which were
fighting to keep them in slavery? The Repub-
hcan machine which controls this state Is wholly
responsible for your dsfranchisement
1t needs no prophet to predict that should you
by your votes render every city Democratic you
would obtain equal rights within three years.
Registry voters in cities. whatever your ma
tional politics. why not in all state elections,
commencing now, cast your ballots for every
Democratic candidate? This is the sure and
speedy way to full and just suffrage.
DEMOCRATIC STATE CENTRAL COMMITTEE.
For Political Purposes Only.
Another queer manifestation of Rhode
Island politics is that it is openly
charged and generally believed that
Senator WetmOre is n citizen of Rhode
Island only for political purposes and
is really citizen of New York, the
paradise Of multimillionaires. Still, by
reason Of his big checks for campaign
purposes, he is likely to be returned to
the senate of the United States.
But even in Rhode Island all Repub-
licans cannot be induced to swallow
the nauseous dose how being prepared
for them at Washir gton. Both Rhode
Island senators and both Rhode Island
representatives voted for the Porto Ri
can tariff. but Governor Dyer of Rhode
Island, the outgoing Republican, thus
slaps them and the administration in
the face:
believe it is the duty OF every Republican to
stand up and with uncertain sound condemn
any course OF procedure by congress which brings
into question the honor Of the American nation
toward those new peoples who have come under
its protection. In the very beginning Of the war
with Spain, when it was uncertain what the re.
suit would be so far as added territory was con-
cerncd, the United States went to Porto Rico: il
made no excuse that the island had been misgov-
erned by Spanish rule; it made no apologies; il
said the island of Porto Rico is the gateway TO
the Antilles. To treat these people now as il
hey were aliens, if they had no rights at all,
have gone over and taken possession of their
Island, to set up our own government and then
to impose duties upon them just as we would
upon the people Of Haiti Santo Domingo, is
one OF the most outrageous transactions that could
be thought Of
1t is most encouraging that so many of the
men who mold public opinion have taken the
stand they have. 1t is not a question of consti-
tutional right; it is a question of simple Justice.
Nations have moral obligations resting upon them
as well as individuals. God forbid that any peo
pies should have to say that they preferred Span
ish rule and that they trusted more in Spanish
honor than they did in the honor of the United
states. The Republican party has always been
loyal to the principles it has enunciated. / be-
heve there is today sufficient manhood in the
party to stand up and not only protest against
but to refuse support to any men or any measures
not absolutely committed to the principles of ma.
tional justice and national honor What spec.
tacle it will be to European nations that this
people, having been conquered by us and brought
into our field, should be treated as strangers and
taxed without reason for bringing their products
into our ports. We might just as we'll tax the
people OF Block island for the fish and farm
products they send to the mainland as to tax
these people Of Porto Rico for what they bring to
U.S. This question is in which every Repub.
hcan should be interested. ] believe that before
the time comes for the meeting of the national
convention in Philadelphia this question will be
settled and settled with justice and honor. not
only to ourselves, but to the people who by every
moral right should be part of our nation.
Carrying Goals to Newcastle.
One thing learned in Rhode Island
gave me pleasure, and that is that the
IN fol-, 6
marble! This is carrying Goals to New
castle. For generations federal pub
lie buildings in the south and central
west have been constructed Of New
England marble. New England granite
and New England stone. though such
material was abundant in most of the
states where the buildings were erect
R,,t l,n 10 hnr