Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1903-06-27

half the population. In South Carolina
they are two thirds of the population
of the state. Suppose the negroes in
in each of these states are forbidden
the right to vote; they would loose am
bitiOr to improve their conditions. You
can readily see what detriment such
a state Of affairs would be in these
states. Any law controlling the ballot
which is not fair and just to both races
will be more injurious to the whites
than the blacks. AS the negro CO.
operates with the white men in bust
ness, education and religion, why
should he not in politics.
The negro of to day is proving him
self worthy OF suffrage. When care
fully observed he is found 10 be much
like the white man, having the same
passions and aspirations, and when
somewhat educated he has the same
desire to advance and do his best
for his race and his country.
Negroes who forty years ago lid not
own themselves, now in Virginia alone
own and put to good use $1S, 00O,0 900
OF taxable property, and in Louisiana
/ U1Sy pay UdASoOu PAC,OOU,UOO OI plO-
perty. In much OF the South it is hot
and unhealthy, and who can stand the
heat and throw off malaria any better
than the negro. Shall he be deprived
of the incentive to own his own planta
ton? If you take away from the ne
gro the elective franchise you at once
take away powerful motive for all
noble eXertions.
Who can doubt the loyalty of the
negro. To 1875, Crispus Attacks, a
negro, was the first to shed his Blood
on State street, Boston, that the white
American might enjoy liberty forever,
though his race remains in slavery.
When in 1914, at New Orleans, the
test of patriotism came again, Gen.
Andrew jackson himself testifes, that
no heart was more loyal, and no arm
more strong and useful in defence OF
the right. When the long struggle
came between union and secession,
when victory meant freedom and defeat
his continued enslavement, he enlisted
by the thousands to fight in honorable
combat for the cause of union and lib
erty. Gen Sherman, said Great
credit is due the negro troops for their
unflinching bravery and steadiness
when under fire, exchanging vOlley
after volley with the GOODNESS of vet
erans;" and Abraham Lincoln said,
The lear of barbarity and insurectiO1
soon ceased, when 1t was found that the
black soldiers trained and disciplined
by military life were not only courage
Gus and faithful in the field, but or
derby and self-respectful in the hour
of victory
In 1868 there were So 900 negro
troops under arms. From the begin
ming to the close of the war there were
$50, 900 negro troops, who participated
in 449 engagements and sustaining a
loss of &C., 800. Again. did he not pro-
tect the helpless women and
children er trusted to his care? Often
he provided the very bread they ate.
Then. during the war with Spain, we
find the negro forgetting his own
wrongs, forgetting the law and customs
that discriminate against him in his
own country, and if any one would
know how he acquitted himself in the
field at Santiago, let him apply for
answer to Shafter, Wheeler and Roose-
Welt. Let them tell how the negro
faced death and laid down his life in
defence Of honor and humanity. In
the midst of all the complaints of suf-
fering in camp and field, suffering from
fever and hunger where is the official
or citizen who ever heard a word of
complaint from the black soldier?
Their only request was, that they
might be permitted to replace the
white soldier when heat and malaria
thinned their ranks.
Now can we ask the negro to be a
property owner, a tax payer an
American producer, a soldier and have
no voice ia our government? To say
to the negro, you. shall not vote
is to deal his manhood staggering
blow and to burn into his soul a bitter
and goading sense Of wrong.
His ignorance today is no reason for
taking the suffrage from him for in
forty years forty percent. of his litter
acy has been wiped out, and there are
vastly more illiterate whites in the
United States then negroes. And here
lot me bring in the census report OF
the sixteen slave states for the years
from 1880 to 1890 which shows that
the white rate of increase was 24.67
percent, while that of the blacks dur
ing the same years was only 1890
percent. Although the colored race
grows, it grows, except in few
places, much more slowly then the
white race, and it has also been
shown that the colored race grows on
ly where it is dramatically adapted,
and this is usually where the white
n an cannot succeed. The South sold,
in 1885, over $500. 900, 900 of produce;
and the greater amount of this was
raised by the negroes. Can you call
this semi barbarous condition? No!
So, as we are placing a vast amount
of land into their hands and allowing
them to help fill our treasures, why
chO1l6 wo wish to 6opriuo tbopo Of