The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-04-20
WAS THE FTFTEENrH AMEND.
MENT A MISTAKE?
4 Believer In IL suggests Drastic lie.
stvtctien Rather Tdan Repeal.

strCt1on manner T1an Repeal.
To THE EDITOR OF TEE SUS-Sir. There
are probably few Republicans. black" or
lily white" who do not sympathize with
the people Of the South In the problem OF self.
government under conditions peculiar TO
themselves But this sympathy Is not IA
POIGNANT as II otherwise would be II the
remedy were not so simple. and capable OF
being so readily applied without violence to
human rights or Constitutional guarantees
The problem, as put by certain element
OF the South. II. How TO eliminate the negro
vote? Thus stated. 1t enlists neither my SYM
patty nor tolerance. To the negro, as ssua.
ought not to be denied a voice In Govern
ment Of which. by virtue OF numbers and
usefulness. he Is so conspicuous part The
Fifteenth Amendment was not a mistake,
! am Christian enough TO believe that IL vas
divinely ordained, Repeal that amend
ment and you blot from our Gag a star OF
hope. and leave millions OF people orphaned
OF country and worse than slaves. for they
would have neither the ballot for defence
nor the prote ction OF an owners self-interest
In his property
Political discrimination on account of the
color OF the skin, eyes or hair-a mere matter
OF complexion-involves no principle Such
personal differences may determine us in
our matrimonial choice and social Affiliations,
but in country like ours. dedicated to per-
sonal liberty and self-government the denial
OF political rights must be based on just
and fundamental distinctions The status Of
the indian Is based on racial differences.
Like some wild animal. he can neither bs
trained nor educated Do like reasons apply
TO the negro?
! listened eagerly. but not approvingly,
TO the recent address OF Mr. Tilln,an at the
Press Club banquet As near as ! could
gather. he has q patronizing affection for the
Niger" as n subordinate and servant but
hates him with holy hatred as a political
equal and fellow citizen. He even intimated
that the best OF black men was inferior to the
worst Of white men. Unfortunately. the onlv
negro whom he called by name was Booker
Washington Instantly the mind accepted
this challenge TO a comparison: BENJAMIN
Tillman-Booker Washn eton
Sober Of speech. tolerant of prejudice.
thrillingly eloquent In the earnestness OF q
noble purpose and q high resolve, Booker
Washington to-day ranks among the great
est Of the great. and history will not deposs
him. Vulgar violent. vociferous, sputter-
Ing venom In q frenzy OF words. Benjamin
Tillman. the Cyclops Of unreasonins prejudice.
Is. In sad reality, the -one-eyed monarch
OF the blind" Grover Cleveland like Presi-
dent Roosevelt. evidently thinks 1t an honor
To cit at table with Booker Washington: would
he esteem 1t a privilege to break bread with
Mr. Tillman?
But while Mr. Timan may be an exponent
OF Southern prejudice. he Is not an exponent
OF Southern reason. This fact ID demon
strated by the debates In the late Constitu-
tionAl Con ventions of such States o. Louisiana.
Tennessee. 40. over the grandfather
clause. The best element Of the South would
eliminate the negro vote because. practically.
all the negroes are ignorant. shiftless and
irresponsible. Obviously the purpose OF
such an attempt would be. not 10 disfran-
chiss the negro. but to eliminate the I'M
worthy. and to such an attempt. In the South
or in the North. / say amen. and ameni
The fran chise In this country 10 too cheap.
It Is pearl too frequently cast before swine.
In a Government where education means
30 much and costs nothing the man who
values his manhood 20 little that he will not
learn TO read the ballot he intends TO cast
ought never 10 cast It. Let the South impose
any condition to the right Of suffrage Il may
choose to adopt-edu cation. or property,
or both-and II the result Ia the disfranchise-
nent OF ninety-nine one Aundredths Of the
negro population. no Republican will object.
~, incidentally. 10 eliminates the ignorant,
'he shiftless, and the irres ponsibls among
he whites. 90 much the better for the South
md the country. But 90 long - certain
elements Of the South cling to the hallucins-
ion that the worst OF white men 10 better
han the best OF black mon. 90 long will the
south suffer. and deserve to suffer; for It is
! false oonosit; q wicked conceit. an obsolete
'onoeit. and freedom In its march will not
urn back ward.
When Booker Washington. Grover Cleve-
and and other good and great men con-
pire to make the negro an educated. SELF
expecting. self-supporting gentleman. they
likewise oonspire against the credo Of such
men "a Benjam Tillman. n D.. z.
NEW YORK, April IS