Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1902-06-19
Virginia Republicans.
Richmond News.

we are disturbed WIN regret anu eOiuc-
What puzzled to observe the Tazewell
! IVA Republican exhibiting symptoms of
editorial inflammation over the proclama-
ton of the constitution. If anybody in
Virginia has the right TO accept that act
with serene composuse the Republicans
have. The new constitution, with its
franchise clause removing the cclored vote
from politics makes sure the development
of strong Republican party in Virginia.
The proclamation of the constitution
promises to add much strength to that
party.
The removal of the negro means re-
moval Of the social ban from the Re.
publicans and will give them the oppor-
tunily to lecome respectable, which we
sincerely hope they will do. Two strong
parties. practically equal in intellectual,
financial and social strength, are good for
any State or coui try. They give the
great independent voter, who is governed
by his thought and conscience and in
tellgent self interest, the power which he
should have. They make him the arbiter
md the halarce wheel. They add to the
dignity, the responsibility and the weight
of ev,ry vote. Party organizations are
necessary for The practical purposes of
politics. but The thick and thin party man,
who sticks to hl7 party in all circumstances
and who suuenders his moral convictions,
bis opinions and his interests to the keep
ing of party leaders, ia vanishing, and we
are glad TO see him go. He has served
his purpose, but the times have outgrown
him. In the pivotal States at the North
the independent voter has held the
balance of power for years and has filed
congress with the men of his choice and
chosen presidents at bis will.
When a State is absolutely under the
power of any one party, the people lack
the educational advantages of free and
fopen discussion of vital public questions
conducted with equal intelligence on both
sides and the governments lack that re-
sponsibility, hostile criticism and keen
supervision which are necessary to keep
Independently clean and efficient.
AS for the negro, we cannot see that he
is any worse off under the new con-
stitutlon than he was before. His poll
teal power was mockerv and a sham.
'Nominally he had the right to vote, but
practically his vote was counted out or
counted for the side he intended it 10 60
against. There is no use in any hypocrisy
about this matter. 1t is bad enough to do
ugly things under pressure of necessity,
but it is even worse to lie about them or
to try to comfort ourselves and hoodwink
others with denlals or explanations which
deceive nobody. Any lie is bad, but an
obvious, stale and useless lie is the worst
of all. 1t is an undeniable fact that the
great mass of the white people of this
State have thought it necessary for the
preservation of good and orderly govern
ment to cheat the negro out of his vote
and he has been cheated. Taking his
vote from him by device of the law does
not injure him and leaves the white people
with clean hands.
The Richmond News is a Democratic
newspaper, not because it belongs to the
Democratic party or desires to be the
organ of that party, but because it has
profound faith in Democratic doctrines
and principles. As a Democratic news
paper, and having the interests of the
people of Virginia at heart, it will welcome
a strong, respectable and intelligently- led
opposition party. The great mass of our
voters have known but one political argu-
ment b lack sule or white? That narrow
issue, appealing to natural prejudices and
jdstifable fears, has paralyzed the thought
Of the people and stunted the intellect of
political leaders. We have been denied
the luxury and the privilege, which all
American citizens should have, of in
telligent discussion and consideration Of
great underlying and far-reaching princi-
Piles. We are entirely willing to trust the
white people of Virginia with the fruit of
the tree of knowledge of political good and
evil and to leave the conflicting principles
Of the two great parties to their instructed
thought and unprejudiced study. We
want to see these voters relieved of the
desperate fear of black rule SO that we
may be sure that, whether we
have Republican or Democratic State
government, we will have good govern
ment and white rule.
A patriotic and far-seeing Republican
should welcome these conditions as
cordially as patriotic and far-seeing
Democrat. The Republican party in this
State, with the black vote cut away from
it, is relieved from clog which made its
progress impossible, chain which con.
demned it to dlsrepute.
Instead of using such excited express
sions as "Cowar dicel Perfdy! Usurpationl"
which the Tazewell Republican does in its
astfssue, it seems to us that newspaper
should accept the result with complacency.
AS for the proclamation, no one party
ever presented another with club for the
breaking of the donors head more
generously than the Democratic majority
in the convention did in that act.
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