The Hawaiian gazette., 1902-07-18
the NEW SOUTHERN PROBLEM.

T1c sennsi Acknowledgement Of the
negro voters Of the South has bred
pcicsric interest In the proposal, OF
which Congressman Crumpacker OF IN
diana is one OF the recent sponsors, 10
reduce the representation IN Congress
o( the States where tie voting has been
thus Abridged. This procedure would
not be - radical 40 IL seems. II was
provided for In the terms OF the four
teenth amendment which decided that
thu whole numbe~ OF voters should be
thn basis Of representation but speci-
iis1k that n any class should be disfran-
chtsed by the states, the number OF
Cangvessnea from such states should
be cut down prcportionately. Under
the admitted facts the South has Tor
feited heS right 20 thirty-hve seats In
the House OF Representatives.. But
naturally she does not want to give
them up without a quid pro quo; and
sentiment is shaping itself there to-
wards the offer OF compromise ny
which, In return FOR the surrender OF
the thirty-hve seats. the rest OF the
country will consent TO the repeal Of
the fifteenth amendment, by which the
right To vote shall not be denied or
abridged by the United States nor by
any state on account Of race. color, or
previous condition Of servitude.
There ~ no probability that these
terms will be accepted. Yet thoughtful
men In the North quite generally agree
that the full enfranchiscmcnt or the
negro was a mistake. knowledge of
the science OF government cannot be
gained by the magic of ballot in
hand self government by the msss,
like sclf-control by the Individual, Is a
matter OF personal and even OF ances-
trail training. BY suddenly enfranchis-
t,1IlrN n
human ignorance and vice was given,
not only the privilege of enacting laws
for its own benefit but laws under
which moral and intelligent beings
must live. This meant chaos and
chaos came. IT is the opinion of many
observers that the negroes, as a class,
are no more fitted than they were in
1868 for the duties of voting citizens.
Freedom aud equality" seem to have
spoiled what little virtue they had in
the first place just az 1t will spoil the
character of "A child. Nevertheless the
die has been cast and that vast ma
jority which is not closely touched by
the negro mass will probably stand out
for the principle expressed in the M
teenth amendment. The idea of JUS
tice" to the negro increases In the Uni
ted States as distance from him Il
gained. The North knows little of him
and what little ii does know prompts
it to keep him out of appointlve ano
elective offices; but the pressure from
the negro race is so slight that this
North is not prepared to deprive hin
of the rights which too broad an inter
probation of American principles gave
him In the terms of the organic law.
This being true the matter is left Il
the States most affected by the regro''
presence. There is a tacit feeling II
the North that these States are doing
the best thing the circumstances sus
gest in practically eliminating the AT
Iican vote: but sympathy does not 81
so far az to cOncede that one vote II
the South should continue, after tbs
negro has been eliminated. TO count fol
as much as three votes In the North
THE feeling is that if the South dis
franchises The negro voter, she should
not be permitted to use him as basis
of representation. 1t is an idea baseC
on exact principles of fair play and /
ought to lead, we think, TO the excelsior
of the thlrty-five surplus Southern
Congressman at "A very early day