The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-07-25

rican slavery was to De q source of per petual strife so long as she remained in the Union, the South determined to end the strife-to settle the question by withdrawing from the Federal Un- ion. The results of that plan are fresh in our minds. After the close of the war when the negro problem assumed a more aggressive forma believing that the safety of every Southern Common wealth depended upon speedy relief from negro rule, the fact that the end Justified any means that would secure 1t she swept away all legal barriers that interposed themselves between her and white supremacy. The question of white supremacy has been settled. We have here a Constitutional Convention and there is not a representative of the negro race to be found among its one hundred and fifty members. Are not these strange and anomalous condi- tions when we remember that the ne- gro problem is still the unsolved, un-
 settled problem before this Convention. The methods of 1S61-1S65 ended the controversy over African slavery. but they resulted in the more serious prob-
 lem of negro supremacy. The methods
 of lS7O-1s75 ended the problem of negro
 
 such corruption at the ballot box as
 has destroyed confidence among white mon md weakened the very folnda- tions upon which popular government Is based. Now this Convention stands face to fSce with another imperioLs de- mand for change-some new plan by
 which she may forever settle this oft recurring question that like Banquo's ghost, will not down at her bidding. There have been many plans suggested. nearly all looking to one end-the- dis franchisement of the negro race. If 1t were possible to do this then there
 would De a serious question in the minds of many good men in the State as to the wisdom of such a course. Would that settle the negro problem? It would settle this phase of it just as | the war of 1S61-1S65 settled a phase and as the methods of 1S70-1S75 settled | phase, but as in the past so in the fu- | ture, would 1t not assume more viru- | lent and more dangerous form than ever before? If it were possible for this | Convention to entirely disfranchise the negroes of Alabama then it would be | well to consider and we'll to make effort | to answer this question. But we can- not disfranchise the entire race and so | we are shut up to the adoption of other
  l dispassionately consider this whole sit- | uation. More than third of the popu- | lation of Alabama are negroes. They | constitute more than half of the labor | ing classes of the State. In intellectual power and capacity they are inferior | to the white man and in moral a>Nain- ments they are far behind him. There
 are. however. possibilities of growth and development in the negro, possibil- | ity that should be brought out. The | negro is here, he is here in vast and | increasing numbers. he is here to stay.
 He is here to affect the life of Ala
 bama, her commercial life. her political | life, her moral life. He is here to
 expand and uplift and ennoble the
 white race or he Is here to degrade
 and brutalize 1t. The two races are to
 he of mutual service and mutual bless | ing to each other or they are to be mutual hindrance and mutual curse. This harmony and prosperity of the | two races must depend upon their r1u tual good will and mutual fair dealing. MT. Jenkins--lf the Suffrage Com
 mittee were to get up some scheme
 that YOU thought would accomplish the
 purpose that we aim at. would you in- | uuire into the details of the scheme l that would accomplish the purposes? | Mr. aBnks-Why. yes.
 | Mir. JenkinS-Will you answer this
 question: If the main proposition is not
 the accomplishment of the purpose and l not SO much the scheme bv which 1t | Is to be done.
 | MT. Banks--Methods have a great | deal to do with 1t. l always inquire as
 to methods Methods are important. do not belong to that class of men who
 do evil that good may come of 1t. Not
 at all Methods are as important as the
 ends that you desire a accomplish.
 This Convention is here in the in
 terest of these races and as we have
 said one of the important questions for
 it to determine is what shall be the
 political status of the negro race, this | race constituting such a large part of our industrial population. The Consti- | tuition of the United States says that
 we shall not discriminate against him
 on account of his race. color or his
 previous condition of servitude.
 and we have solemnly promised that
 we will not discriminate against him. The Constitution of the United States
 has conferred upon them rights ill a
 general way and says that he shall not
 be debarred from those rights because
 he is q negro, and among those rights are the rights of American citizenship. | It has not said that he shall be en-
 dowed with those rights because he | Is a negro but it says that he shall not
 be deprived of them because of that | fact. As we have said, let us deal With thIs and with every question that 1 We Consi ier. in spirit, not Of passion
 or prejudice, but in d spirit of fairness.
 Let Us be willing to accord the negro his rights. Let there be no diScrimi-
 nation. or even attempted discrimind-
 tion. because he is d negro. It is ini- portant that we shall have white su-
 premacy in Alabama. not because of
 the color of white men, but because
 of their character and mental superb
 oIity. The disQualifying principle in
 the negro race is not color, but char
 acter. and the qualifying principle in
 the white race is not color but char
 acter and mental superiority. The | contest between the two races for dominion is an unequal one. The nat ural advantages in favor or the white
 man are so preponderating that he has
 nothing to fear ir the struggle. There are possible dangers of negro domina- tion. One of these dangeIs is to make
 too low the standard of citizenship. The higher the standard the greater | the advantage to the white race. the lower the standard the less the advan-
 tage, because the contest is then waged
 on grounds that give greatest advan-
 tage to the inferior race. The higher
 the standard erected the further you remove the struggle from all danger I ..I-sa