The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1900-08-14

hateful as IT always is in itself and
subversive Of the constitution and the
wishes of our people. exists today with
in the boundaries of the United States.
For Imperialism does not necessarily
imply either rule by a force of soldiery
or the existence OF a person sitting
upon a throne and calling himself en-
peror. Imperialism takes the place of
democracy when equal political rights
no longer exist; when a portion OF our
citizens. without forfeiture through any
act or defect of their own, are excluded
under the forms of law from participa-
tion in political activity and from all
share In the conduct OF government
The revolution is as real as IL II were
accomplished by bayonets under the
shadow of the purple.
This form OF Imperialism has been es-
tablished in several OF the Southern
states and will presently prevail in all
OF them. The Democrats Of Alabama
have just carried the state by ma
jority supposed to be 80 900 through the
exclusion OF the negro vote. They an
nounce their intention OF following the
example set by Mississippi, Louisiana
and South Carolina, as North Carolina
is about to do. Georgia. which once
resisted and refused to yield to the in
iquity Is changing sentiment and swing.
ing into line. Before many years. un-
less prevented by a decision OF the
supreme court and the enforcement OF
the constitution. free government Will
cease to exist throughout the former
slave states.
The form Of this change we have al
ready explained. The states in ques-
ton have amended or are about to
amend their constitutions so as to BAN
ish the negro from the polls. There IL
no pretence OF any present necessity
The negro Is not a disturbing political
factor except to those who can never
be happy unless he is reduced TO servi-
tude. He has been defrauded OF his
vote for more than twenty years. either
by force or ballot-box stuffing, In all
~ the states In question II is not pre-
tended by any one that there is danger
Of negro rule under old conditions in
any state of the South. The white
Democrats have merely determined, as
matter of prejudice and race hatred,
that the negro shall not vote
Free government does not exist
throughout the Southern states OF the
Union. Those states are preparing 10
do formally and through their consti-
buttons what they have done ever since
the war by the shotgun and the tissue
ballot. IT Is the rule of the few strong
over the many weak. II Is the con-
temptuous rejection Of the idea that
the consent OF the governed is neces-
sary. 1t Is open and boosted nullinca-
ton OF the constitution. II IL a rejec-
tion OF popular government that does
not stop with the negro vote Years OF
custom in suppressing free public opln-
ion have so hardened these people that
It no longer appears to them a crime.
Effective white opposition to the DOM
inant party in those states would today
be as impossible as resistance is 10 the
negro. II would be met by the same
methods Of the ruling oligarchy; the
bullet. the torch, the bloodhound. the
Illegal ballot and the fraudulent count
II we want To watch the inroads Of
imperialism upon our political system
we need not 40 abroad or sean the
horizon of our. new possessions The
Southern states under Democratic rule
the states that WIN furnish 10 Mr.
Bryan the solid nucleus Of his vote. are
commemorative part Of which have al
ready passed and the others are passing
from the rule Of free Institutions to
system decislvely and aenantly inpe-
realistic.