Omaha daily bee., 1903-04-29
THE FIFTEENTH AMENDMENT.
was II - Mistake t-Viewr of Henry
u. EstabroOk.

ID. EstabrOok.
In a letter to the New York Sun Henry
d. Estabrook. formerly Of Omaha, dis
cusses the negro problem in the south and
denies the assertion that the fifteenth
amendment was a mistake. He says;
There are probably few republicans. black
or lilly white who do not sympathize with
the people Of the south problem Of self
government under conditions peculiar to
themselves. But this sympathy is not as
poignant as Il otherwise would be IL the
remedy we're not so simple, and capable Of
being so readily applied without violence
to human rights or constitutional guaran-
tees.
The problem. as put by a certain
element Of the south, is, how to eliminate
the negro vote? Thus stated, It enlists
neither my sympathy nor tolerance. To
the negro, as such, ought not to be denied
a voice in a government Of which, by virtue
Of numbers and usefulness, he is so con-
spicuous a part. The Fifteenth Amend
ment was not a mistake. l am Christian
enough to believe that It was d~ivinely
ordained. Repeal that amendment and you
blot from or flag 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 protection 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 complexicn-involves no principle.
Such personal difference may determine
us In our matrimonial choice and social
Affiliations, but in a country like ours,
dedicated to personal 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 be trained nor
educated. Do like reasons apply to the
negro7
IL listened eagerly, but not approvingly,
to the recent address of Mr.. Tillman at the
Press Club banquet. AS near as L could
gather, he has a patronizing affection for
the niger as a subordinate and servant.
but hates him with a holy hatred as a polit-
ical equal and fellow citizen. He even
minated that the best of black men was
inferior to the worst of white men. I'm
fortunately, the only negro whom he called
by name was Booker Washington. In
stantly the mind accepted this challenge
to a comparison: Benjamin Tillman-
Booker Washington.
sober Of speech, tolerant Of prejudice,
thrillingly eloquent in the earnestness OF a
noble purpose and a high resolve, Booker
Washington today ranks among the great
est of the great, and history will not depose
him. Vulger, violent, vociferous, s%putter-
ing venom in a frenzy OF words, Benjamin
Tillman, the Cyclops Of unreasoning preju-
dice, is, in sad reality. the "one-eyed mon
~ - M
President Roosevelt, evidently thinks It an
honor to sit at table with Booker Washing
ton; would he esteem It a privilege to break
bread with Mr.. Tillman?
But while Mr.. Tillman may be an ex-
ponent of southern prejudice, he is not an
exponent Of southern reason. This fact
is demonstrated by the debates in the late
constitutional conventions of such states as
Louisiana, Tennessee, etc, overthe grand
father clause. The best element of the
south would eliminate the negro vote be-
cause, practically. all the negroes are ig-
%norant, shiftless and irresponsible. Obyi-
ously the purpose Of such an attempt would
be, not to disfranchise the negro, but to
eliminate the unworthy, and to such an at
tempt, in the south or in the north. ! say,
amen, and amen!
"The franchise In this country Is too
cheap. 1t is a pearl too frequently cast
before swine. In a government where edu-
cation means so much and costs nothing
the man who values his manhood so little
that he will nj. learn to read the ballot
he intends to cast ought never to cast 1t.
Let the south impose any condition to the
right Of suffrage 1t may choose to adopt
education, or property, or both-and II the
result ia the disfranchisSn ent of ninety
nine one-hundredths of the negro popula-
ton, no republican will object. If, Incl
d~entally, 1t eliminates the ignorant, the
shiftless, and the irresponsible among the
whites, so much the better for the south
and the country. But so long as certain
elements OF the south cling to the hallu-
citation that the worst of white men Is
better than the best of black men, so long
will the south suffer, and deserve to suffer;
for 1t is a false conceit; a wicked %conceit,
an obsolete conceit, and freedom in its
march will not turn backward.
When Booker Washington, Grover Cleve-
land and other good and great men con-
spire TO make the negro an educated, self
! respecting. self-supporting gentleman; they
! likewise consire against the credo Of such
80 II. nanta,,En TtIIu,anp