The Tucson citizen., 1902-04-14
The SUFFRAGE QUESTION.

Before the Congregational Club in
Washington a few days ago Congress
man Littlefeld. of Maine, spoke on
The subject OF "A Feature of the De-
Selopment Of Civilization" He dwelt
particularly on the race phase, which
confronts not only the people of the
Southern States in the negro. but the
country at large in the aliens in the
Philippine archipelago. which insular
group Mr.. Littlefeld termed IAN inter-
national vermiform appendix The
Maine Congressman contended that
while other nationalities are mix
ed with 1t, the Anglo-Saxon race dom
mates on this continent. and history
proves 1t always has been ready to dis
charge it's obligation to civilization. In
this country's earliest days the Indian
problem was paramount among race
questions. All the different national
tiles composing the colonies tried to
make friends with the reg man. only
to discover finally and invariably that
perfect subjugation must precede con-
quest. This method was adopted. the
Indian being pushed gradually west
ward until he encountered forces OF
civilization which were bending their
energies eastward, and the natural re-
suit was the squeezing of the aborigi-
nal tribes until today their strength is
reduced below 900 individuals who
face determination. In the case Of the
Indian the civilizing process has failed
of its intended purpose.
Mr.. Littletield, whose nome in the
pines OF Maine is not so far removed
as to preclude an intelligent study OF
the subject, tnen turned to the negro
question. He said the end of the Civil
War found 1000 900 freed blacks in me
position of a peril to the country. me
colonization of the white race was ac-
complished after years of struggle and
association with the greatest races of
mankind. Drawing vivid picture of
the consequences of the anomalous
condition, Mr.. Littlefield asked: by
what right does an act OF Congress
seek to place an inferior race on an
equal footing with men who have lived
nP hpic In vi Iy9
The people OF the South, who possessed
| the highest form Of civilization, were
asked to recognize the black as an
equal, and the natural outcome was re-
sentiment and the adoption of meas
ures to keep the negro in that sphere
for which he was created. The funda-
mental mistake, Mr. Littlefield declares
and he Is not the only man in New
England of that opinion--was in en-
franchising the negro, placing in his
hands powers he was unqualified to
| exercise. More than generation or
two is necessary to civilize any peo-
| pie, and. said Mr.. Littleield fortunate
will be the generation that will see a
true solution of the problem.
But If Mr.. Littletield admits II was a
mistake to give the negro the right of
suffrage he must also concede that the
present generation. particularly in the
States most vitality affected. is fairly
we'll started on the road to the fortu-
nate goal he mentions. in it's adoption
Of measures to take back that which
was given in error When a physician
discovers that the medicine he pre-
sclibed to create certain condition
has failed OF it's mark and produces
aggravated symptoms OF another Kind.
threatening to spread it's noxious in
Iiuoncc among healthy persons. he
Immediately ceases the treatment. For
what justification, in the name of
humanity or anything else. has he in
injecting healthy community with
u1sease when he finds that his rem
edics have failed to cure an individual
who is now even far more advanced to-
ward a condition of hopelessness than
he was the day the prescription was
first tried?