The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-06-05
IMPERIALISM AT HOME.

The amendments 10 the Constitution
growing out of the war of the rebellion
were designed to confer all the rights and
privileges of citizenship, including suffrage
upon every male resident in the States
Some Of those who supported these PROPOSE
tions did not have much faith in them, but
millions of men and women who Loyalty
sustained Abraham Lincoln demanded suf-
frage for all as the equality proclaimed
in the Declaration of Independence. This
was the carrying Of the theory of democ-
racy TO the utmost limit. and it was blow
at that rule by the few of the many without
their consent. which is now called imperial
ism. Although the colored voter constituted
a majority in not over three States, this
extension Of the right to govern to the
governed was denounced as the turning
over of the South to the domination of ig-
norant blacAs. From that until the present
time the papers and the leaders that are
now frantic regarding what they are
pleased TO regard as Imperialism opposed
the extension of the full privileges of citi-
zenship by the constitutional amendments.
imperial authority IN the South. plunging
it into "A war TO make the Imperialism of
slavery national. and those in sympathy
with them iii the North opposed the citi-
zenship and suffrage of the Republicans.
So persistently have they pushed their
idea of imperialism-the rule of all by
few-that Republicans longer protest
against the abridgment of suffrage and
practically of citizenship in the South. In
Mississippi. South Carolina, Louisiana and
North Carolina the imperialistic element
has prevailed. The right of suffrage has
been taken from three-quarters of mil
lion of the men upon whom ii was con-
ferred by the constitutional amendments.
Thus far nearly three millions of native
born citizens have been as effectually de-
prived of citizenship if they were resi-
dents of the Philippines. In all of these
States. with perhaps a single exception,
this Acknowledgement has been effected
without submitting the question TO the peo-
pie. These thousands of colored voters were
deprived of citizenship by an act as i'm
perial as IL it had been proclaimed by the
ukase of the Car of Russia. If any of
these foes of Imperialism are opposing this
high handed programme of home imperial
ism in the States referred to they are very
quiet about il.
1t cannot be said that the millions of peo-
pie in the South who have been and will
be deprived of the right of citizenship are
not so well qualified for suffrage as the
mixed and illiterate peoples of Cuba, Porto
Rico and the Philippines, since those of
the South have been familiar with the
forms Of popular government for genera
tions. Why, then, this heated protest
against ruling the Filipinos without their
consent when the controlling element in
Southern States is depriving native-born
citizens of the United States of the one
right which marks citizenship? Constitu-
tional hair-splitters vexing the coun-
try with the question of the relation of the
Filipnos and the Porto Ricans to the
United States if they are not recognized as
voters and citizens. Will these astute per-
sons inform Americans of the status of the
millions in the South who have been de-
prived of citizenship by the imperial policy
OF the Southern leaders?