Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-12-20
THE RACE PROBLEM
DISCUSSED BY JUDGE SPEER AT
BANQUET.
Georgia Jurist Makes Plea for the
Better Element Among Whites
and Blacks.

Emory Speer, judge of the United States
court for the southern district of Georgia,
was the guest of the Independent Club Of
Buffalo, N. Y, at its second annual dinner
in that city last night. Two hundred
guests, including Mayor knight and other
prominent men Of the city, listened to an
address by Judge Speer the subject of
THE Solid South
1t is undeniably true, the speaker said,
that the political attitude of the southern
people toward the government is directly
ascribable to the swift bestowal by the
reconstruction acts of unlimited manhood
suffrage upon the members of the African
race, which, he asserted, was part Of
Lincoln's plan for the restoration of the
Union. The solution of the race problem.
said Judge Speer, will be found in the en-
actment of impartial laws for white and
black men alike which will admit to the
franchise the intelligent, the upright and
the responsible of both races and exclude
the venal, the ignorant and the worthless.
He said in part:
1T is true that the southern people see
republicanism in its most unattract1Ve
guise. And when was the occasion within
the memory of this generation when any
northern statesman OF national reputa-
ton and attractive eloquence undertook to
great policies of government upon which
republcanism is based? Was there ever
political campaign conducted in a south
ern state by the authorities of the repub-
lican party with the energy, skill and
thoroughness to which the people of every
northern state have become habtuated!
1 know that there is opinion abroad
that it would be dsa greeable and perhaps
dangerous for republican statesmen from
the north to address the masses OF the
southern people. If this was once true, 1t
is true longer. The great leaders of
northern thought would be welcomed with
kindly hospitality and heard by courteous
if not enthusiastic thousands.
mo surer means could be adopted for
breaking there the hitherto unbroken SOL
idarity of political action. With such cam
paigns as are conducted in New York,
Ohio, Indiana and other northern states,
with a wide dissemination of the great
newspapers and other literature, with the
'spell-binder' abroad in the land, the people
would begin to- think for themselves, in
terest in national politics would be awak
enad, white men would differ, and black
men as well. and as consequence hopeful
progress would be made toward the purity
and freedom of the ballot, the restoration
Of the American spirit and the return to
constitutional methods.
My plea is for the revival of the Amer
lean spirit, for the restoration of consti-
tutional methods. / pray to see the han
dicap of provncialism stricken from the
minds Of the aspiring youth Of my state
tation Of a sullen and immovable resent
funess toward the government and its en-
nobling purposes removed from my sec
ton. Indeed, with the masses Of the peo-
pie 1t does not exist. No man or set of
men have the right to place the southern
people toward our government IN the at
titude Of Ireland toward the government
Of Great Britain.
1.-The fear of an impossible negro su-
premacy is the only obstacle. But is this
insurmountable? The argument seems to
%
the minds of the southern people from the
fear Of that supremacy, howevec unreal
it may be. The remedy seems to be as OBJ
vious as just 1t is to be found In the
enactment of impartial laws for white
and black alike, which will admit to the
franchise the intelligent, upright and the
responsible Of both races and exclude the
venal the ignorant and the worthless.
And such measure need not be confined to
the southern states.
us it illogical or dangerous to intrust to
national law the qualifications of the cleo
torate for national offices and to intrust
the enforcement of the law to the national
courts? That it would require a change
of the Constitution is true. but shall not
the Constitution be changed If this Is
plainly essential to effectuate Its emo
bling, it's sublime purposes?
'It is true that to southern man wor-
thy of the name negro domination Is un-
thinkable But he is neither humani-
tartan nor patriot who would see nothing
| in the future Of nine millions of those
black people save piteous story Of de-
cadence, degradation and death. 1t Is
true that there are negroes whose des-
perate and bestial savagery has brought
the coverts Of those horrid jungles where
| their forbears swetered, ravished and
slew close to the homes Of helpless In
| nocenee and trembling virtue. But these
| british beasts are the outcasts OF the
| race, and, besides, they are not distin.
| guished for great longevity. 1t is not just
| nor wise to judge millions OF black men
| by their vilest criminals
| "a danger to the welfare Of the south
ern states Is the possible reduction of the
| existing number of representatives appor-
| toned upon millions of this population
| whose men of voting age are by state ac-
ton denied the suffrage. This may any
| day startle the country as nothing has
| done since the reconstruction era. NO
| change of the Constitution is here re-
| quired. A majority OF the Congress, under
/ fhe nroyision Of the fourteenth amend
| ment. have the power If they have the
| will. Thirty-six representatives are ap-
| portioned to the southern states upon the
basis of the black population. Surely anx-
| ions thought on matter so vital is time
| ly when it Is reflected that in an entire
state, with a population OF 557.S07 whites
| and 1872, 321 blacks, in electing seven con-
| gressmen there were cast in the last cleo
| ton only TAI votes in opposition to the pre-
| yailing party. But no measure, however
| stringent, will be effective for good gov
| eminent or stable prosperity II 1t engen-
| ders the universal hostility of resolute
| people. This will be inevitable from a re-
! duction of our representation. We may
| trust that this will not be attempted. But
| # is at least timely to stimulate, If we
| NAV profound political thought among our
| people, which may avoid the necessity OF
| a measure so drastic and so exciting. To
| stimulate such thought I understand to be
| the mission of the Independent Club.
| Would that there were such an organiza-
| ton in every southern community, an as
| ISOLATION of hgh-minded and disinterested
men whose love for country and human
| ity prompts the conservation Of their pow
| ers to the promotion of independence"