Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-09-23
NOT FOR SEPARATION
Representative Richardson on
Southern Race Problem.
ALABAMA'S REMEDY
REGARDS IT'S METHODS AS
WHOLLY SUCCESSFUL.
Democrats in His State Indifferent Re-
garding Presidential Candidate, In
terested Only in Platform.

II believe" remarked Representative
Richardson of Huntsville, Ala. to Star
reporter today, that all the talk we have
heard recently about the separation OF the
races is unwise. 1t is surely absolutely i'm
practicable, and no section Of the country
would be more opposed to it than the
south"
Representative Richardson is in the city
on his way to Baltimore with his daughter,
whom he will place in school there for the
coming winter. He has been in his home
for some time and has been in cornmunica-
ton with the political leaders of his state.
Mr.. Richardson is not in sympathy with
the suggested agitation for the repeal OF
the fourteenth and fifteenth amendments to
the Constitution. or with the propositions for
the separation Of the white and colored
races. He believes that the race question
will be properly solved by following the
example Of Alabama for the regulation of
voting, which he claims does not operate
it eliminates all but about 5000 of their
votes in that state.
I'm the first place. Mr.. Richardson con-
tinued, where are the colored people to be
located? Secondly, how are they to be
moved there? In the third place the negroes
don't want to go, and, lastly, the people Of
the south don't want them to go. What we
do want to do is to put them in the place
which we believe nature intended for them.
Il do not believe that the agitation about
the repeal of the fourteenth and fifteenth
amendments is wise, because those amend
ments are too closely associated with the
results of the war. The colored vote can
best be regulated by the methods that have
been wholly successful in Alabama. A
majority OF the members of the supreme
court of Alabama are republicans, and they
have decided that the essential features of
our election law are constitutional. The
same may be said of the supreme court of
Mississippi, which has in a like way upheld
the election law of that state, which Is
largely similar to our law.
The Alabama Constitution.
II do not believe the southern representa-
ton in Congress will be In danger of being
cut down because Of the Acknowledgement
of the black VOTE
I'VE have the constitution of Alabama to-
day as well guarded against allowing the
right Of suffrage to unworthy citizens as
any constitution in the Union. It has also
excluded large number Of the votes Of
white men. 1t operates against q large
body Of white men. 1t is a great mistake
of the north in the discussion Of our cleo
ton law to suppose that 1t operates only
against colored men. There Us a property
qualification Of $500. and a voter must be
uDle 10 TedQ ana 10 understand the consul
tuition. He must also be a man of good
character.
THE fact is. many colored men vote un-
der our law, and we have no desire to elm
irate the colored vote in Alabama. We
have some worthy and good citizens among
the colored people there They have reg
istered and have voted and they will con-
tlnue to do so. They vote the republican
ticket almost without exception"
Interested Only in the Platform.
Mr. Richardson says the Alabama demo-
Gratis are not giving much thought to demo-
cratic candidates for the presidency. They
are anxious about the kind Of platform that
Is to be adopted by the national democratic
convention. but that is all. They are satis-
fed that once the platform is made salts
factory to them the man will be found to
stand on 1t.
THE democrats of Alabama" he said
ARE decidedly opposed to having Its dele
cation to the national convention instructed
for any candidate. The delegation will go
without instructions. We are conservative
as to what our platform should be. That
platform should pronounce for a fair and
reasonable reduction of the tariff and for
the regulation of such trusts place an
embargo upon trade and competition. The
fact that some products of this country sell
cheaper abroad than here will be one of the
tests as to the lines the reductions of the
duties should take
Alabama Republicans.
Speaking of the lilly white movement in
Alabama, Mr.. Richardson said that the
lilly whites have control Of the republican
party Of that state. and that undoubtedly
they will control the delegation to the next
republican national convention.
THE republicans of Alabama he con-
tinued. expect to see Mr.. Roosevelt nomi-
mated, but his attitude on the color ques-
ton would lead them to vote for some other
man II they had an opportunity to do so
with any reasonable hope of nominating
him, and provided a good. reputable candi-
date were brought forward. They do not
object to Mr.. Roosevelt personally. They
merely dislike his policy in relation to the
negro question, and II they thought they
could get some one with a different policy
they would, in my judgment. be very ready
to support such q candidate"
Mr.. Richardson does not expect the COM
ing Congress to enact any financial legds-
latlon.