The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-06-13
THE SUFFRAGE QUESTION.
The Convention Must Meet the
 Situation Boldly.

Editor The Advertiser:
 Your columns have of late been teeming with letters of advice to the Constitutional Convention, based upon weakly sentiment, and mistaken, al- most imbecile, ideas of philanthrophy towards the negro race; thus giving the suspicion at least. of concerted &C., ton on the part of those imbued with such false, short-sighted, and most dangerous notions.
 All must agree, that upon the ahso- lute supremacy of the white race, rests the future of this great State, as we'll as that of the South. The suf- frage question is, therefore. most practical one, and to he dealt With in an entirely practical way. True phi lanthrophy toward the negro means white supremacy. obtained and main- tained. if possible. by legal methods, but maintained If necessary, at all events. The promises held cut to the negro, if the ideas of these mistaken philanthropists are adopted will even tuate in his ruin, and untold evils tc the State. His false hopes and aspira- tions aroused thereby, can never be realized without the sacrifice of white supremacy, and that will never be. Let the Convention be candid and just to the negro. Eliminate him as far as possible from the political arena, and thus will the prime cause of irritation and attrition between the races le re- moved, and he will be happier. and the white man no longer ,lave, q might say his slave) politically.
 I take the liberty of saying to the gentlemen composing the Constitu- tional Convention, that the veal or woe of future generations depend upon you. The present may at all events take care of itself. Pat: 1-wor< may not materially affect the present. The future must be the subject Of your especial consideration. Burn not the bridge behind you. Fair and honest elections in the future is the prime object to be obtained in framing your suffrage clause. Let not your pro tes- tations and promises to that end, re- turn to curse you, or those to come after you. Promise not that which would be ruinous to live up tol Pre- sent not the alternative of either giv- ing the lie to your actions of today, or of turning this great State over to negro rule and domination in the fu- ture. Better, far better, leave the suf- frage question alone, than to proclaim that which cannot be fulfilled!
 If action is to be taken, rothing short of heroic measures will save us from hypocrisy or ruin; rernaps,
  the purpose, but defeat not the end beyond all redemption, by tampering with or compromising with the ques- ton. If the negro is to be disfran- chised at all, let 1t be practically ef- fectual, and for all time to come. Let 1t be impossible for the balance Of power to be placed in his hands in the future; or have presented the alterna- tive of casting to the winds our prom ises for fair and honest elections. AS matters now are, the world justifies us in handling this question as we do: but daily with the burning issue. and | then go back on our promises to man. | kind, and all sympathy and moral sup port will desert us. While If possible | the Fifteenth Amendment should be | evaded, yet we must run risks if nec- esSary. We cannot afford to be timid. | The worst than can befall us would be | an anulment of the suffrage clause. This would relegate us to existing con- ditions, and to prevailing methods Of self -preservatio i. without the odium of broken promises and lying protesta- ttons. In a word. practically eliminate the negro from politics. or leave the law as 1t is.
 It is not the negro per SC we are afraid of: but the uses he will he put
  possible for him to hold the balance of power in the future.
 Sacrifices. temporary perhaps. may have to be made among those of our own race in the framing of suffrage clause which will stand the test of the Fifte enth Amendment. Let not th;s fact deter the Convention from its solemn duty to the present and 10 fu- ture generations.
 boldly maintain that true philan- thropy toward the negro race requires that he he removed as d real political factor. That he has political asora- tions Chis is the new timer) in eri- denced on all hands. and read between the lines of those most intelligent of his race. who have appeared in print in his behalf That such aspirations will result in his downfall. f the ;ield be opened to him. none but the Short- sighted can doubt. I believe in being