The Batesburg advocate. [volume] (Batesburg, S.C.) 1901-1911, 1902-04-02
THE RACE PROBLEM
In The South as Seen by a New
England Republican.
ENFRANCHIsING THE NEGRO.
Was Fundamental Mistake, Says
Mr.. LittleneId, Congress
man from the State
OF Maine.

OF Maine.
The Washington correspondent o
The News and Courier SAYS Charleston
will hear with interest of speech
made in Washington "Wednesday nigh;
by Representative Littletield, OF Maine
upon the Race Problem OF the South.
Mr.. Littlefield was member OF the
Congressional party that visited the
Charleston Exposition week before
last. He returned to Washington Sun
day week and has been generous in his
good words about The Ivory City
and THE Old City by the Sea-" His
speech at the annual meeting Of tho
Washington Congregational Club last
night Is but in line with number Of
other views held by the distinguished
gentlemen from Maine, whom Demo
Gratis and Republicans recognize as one
OF the broadeSt-minded men in Con-
greSS to-day.
Mr.. Littletield gained considerable
prominence several years ago by =;
speech he made in defence of Brigham
III. Roberts, the Mormon member frOn
Utah, whom the Republicans refused
to seat because of his religion. Mr.
Littletield rahssSA himself, ,:s.i:.!s.. tie
! Democrats on that question, &c! ~
that there was no legal reason Why
Roberts was not entitled to Il seat ~
the House. In the debate upon the
Porto Rican tariff bill Mr.. Littleficld
again showed himself broad enough to
cut away from party fetters and OPP
pose that measure. His latest utter
ance on the negro problem is in strik-
ing contrast TO the Crumpacker resolu-
tion which an element in the Republi-
can party is endeavoring to get into
the House, with view to cutting
down the South's representation on
account OF educational and qualifica-
tion suffrage laws here. The speech
also gains In significance, delivered,
as 1T was, Immediately after Mr.. Lit
tlefield's visit to the most Southern
city in the South. 1t was the first
trip OF the Man from Maine" to that
section OF the South and, while de-
sirous OF seeing the Exposition, it is
understood that. the main object of
act conditions in the South.
Mr.. Littlefield, in taking up the ne
gro problem, said that the black slaves
was a vital factor in the development
Of 2f.o the lEe. S SS2uptry .y..w when cotton became
At the close of the war the United
States was left with four millions OF
blacks on It's hands. This was the
most serious problem left hy the war.
These negroes had been freed from
slavery and were occupying n position
OF peril to the Government. The civ
ilization OF the white people, said Mr..
Littleficld, had been accomplished
after years of struggle and association
with the greatest races OF mankind.
The negro had been brought direct
from his home in Africa and no efforts
had been made toward his education
or civilization.
BY what right" asked the man
from Maine, the man from Blaine'S
own State, does an Act Of Congress
seek TO place an inferior race on an
equal footing with mon who have liv-
ed through two thousand years Of
Christianity? The nation sought to
create in the negro race the ability
not only to govern themselves, but to
assist in the government OF others.
What was the result? This race was
in the midst of a people developed in
the highest state Of civilization known
TO man. a people who nave Deen
overwhelmed by one Of their own kind
and whose wounds, physical and NOR
al, were smarting under the blow of
defeat.
The Kuklu1 Klan was the out
come, with its civiliZa tion behind 1t,
trying to suppress the newly-creatcd
citizens. Then came the 'grandfath-
cr clause :" which virtually disfran-
chiseS every negro in the South where
it is in existence. If the elective fran.
chise had been given only to those
who had the intelligence to use it the
tendency in the South would have
been TO increase its representation by
legitimate means. To-day the tenden
cy IS to keep Southern men in igno
rance and to keep the negro out OF con
troll. To increase the representation
properly under such conditions requires
the utmost intelligence.
Few men to-day know what is {,
]
has the right OF citizenship and We
cannot adopt the measure so Otter
suggested to dcport him. There i:
no authority under which We can de-
port citizen from the United States
That nameSakc OF the Father OF mi.
Country, who is working down in Ala
bama, is doing the most practica
work. We must look to the practica
education Of the negro as the only so
lutlUn OF the problem. Fundamenta
mistake was I'm enfranchising the race
placing in the hands OF those people
powers they were unqualified to eIer
else, giving them power over a civiliZ
ed race ovcrpOWered by war. 1t take.
more than generation or two, d
three, even. to oivilize any people. For
tunate will be the generation that will
see true solution Of this problem"
In closing Mr.. Littlefeld touched
upon the Philippine problem as anoth
er one which the country was calleC
upon 10 solve. 1T is not possible, =,
he said, by any legislative act or b,
; education To create in any race blu
power Of Self-gOvernment. 1t may b.
latent power in some races that onl,
need the touch OF the higher ciyilizet
bodies OF men TO develop. | am pre-
pared to say 1t is not in the power o
the negro To govern himself, as som
people have said. What we know O
the Filipino what Gen. Chsfree say
in his reports that this race excel
i'm duplicity, treachery and the arts q
l Loo,