Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1900-05-19
THE PLEA AGAINST Us.

oER Of the most remarkable events
in this country, took place last week at
Montgomery, Ala, when the Race
Problem Conferences" met aud only
white men took part in its delibera-
tions.
There were two features, May 9th,
which attracted our attention: the
opening address by ALFREE NJ. wAD.
DILL, the usurping Mayor of Whining.
ton, Nerth Carolina, and the relega-
ting of Prof. BooKER 7. WASHINGTON,
the foremost Afro American ia this
country to q seat in the gallery.
But the most noteworthy utterances
perhaps were those of Hon. BoURKE
COCHRAN of New York, q Democrat
who has accepted the views of the
bourbon wing Of the Southern Democ-
racy. The Geographic reports say:
He boldly advocated the repeal Of
the fifteenth amendment co the FEEDER
al Constitution. He argued that il was
3 bed limb on the tree that il had
zen nul5iaed by the States; that it
Dad Cesn lynched, SO to speak, by the
people OF tsa South. He declared that
the reconciliation of the theoretical
status OF the Negro under the Consti-
tuition snould be reconciliation with
his actual status in the public opinion
OF the country"
This WAS startling declaration. 1t
was an absolute yielding to the siren
voice of the tempter. 1t was the ig-
noring Of great principles, an expires.
sion OF contempt for ethics and east
ing aside OF the teachings of the Saw
Jour.
1t was in effect saying that we are
thieves; therefore, let US legalize steal
ing. We are lynchers; therefore, let us
legalize murder.
Let us drag the constitution down to
our level, rather than lift our
selves up to the plane OF the constitu-
ton. We are amazed at the reckless
ness OF these utterances. Mr.. COCK
RAN was quoted further:
"He maintained that this repeal was
best for the Negro es well as for the
white man, since both races had TO live
together to prosper together, or 90
down together"
To.show how inconsistent person can
be when arguing along the lines of race
prejudice, one has only to consider his
comparison. The Negro and the white
man are linked and both must prosper
together or 60 down together. His
theory is to weight down and oppress
the Negro, oblivious OF the fact that he
had but moment before stated that il
one cannot rise, the other can not sep
arate himself TO rise either.
To take away the elective franchise
from the Negro will be to crush out
ambition, to make him careless of gov.
eminent and pay no attention to the
affairs OF state. He will become in
law what he may now be in fact,-a
pariah in his native land.
As the matter now stands, he has
hope that at sometime, he may be able
to secure all Of bis rights, under the
law aud that he will work up to that
standard. Me-. OooKRAE continued:
Every source Of irritation between
the two should be renewed, and the
nfteeAth amendment was the great
est"
He advocates here an impossibility.
His color is the greatest source, and
then his condition. With the aid of
Northern friends, he is eliminating the
latter objecsion.
MIR. OooKRAS spoke truly when he
10 quoted:
"Mr. Cochran asserted thas the path
Of the Negro TO political and soeiaf
rights lay through the developmsnt OF
the unit. the Individual, and that the