The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-05-11
THE SOUTH AND THE FIFTEENTH
AMENDMENT.
Comments by Prominent Southern News
papers on Our Articles.
From tho Macon Telegraph.


1t has remained for Northern newspaper
to advocate the repeal OF this amendment.
AS the article reproduced In another column
Will show. The Sun stresses the point that
The denial OF suffrage Is not necessarily an
abridgement Of the rights Of citizenship.
mnols and women being citizens and as
much entitled to the protection OF the law
as men OF voting age. THE Sun also shows
that the intent Of the Constitution has at no
time been to base representation in Congress
upon the number Of citizens actually POSSESS
ing the suffrage. For hundred years
the non-voting female citizens above 81 and
the non-voting male and female citizens
under q have been represented In the House
proportionately with the male voters and
even the negro slaves, male. female and
children, counted in the apportionment
as three-hfths Of citizen" 1t does not,
therefore. follow" that the repeal or change
OF the Fifteenth Amendment would neces-
state reduction OF the basis Of representa-
ton in States affected by the disiranchise-
nlent Of the negro
THE Sun says the South has long known
and the North is fast learning that the Fiji
teenth Amendment was a tremendous mis-
take. that sooner or later the country will
have to face squarely the question OF its re-
peal. and that the time cannot be far of
when American common sense will be ready
to 60 fearlessly to the root Of the matter"
This remarkable editorial Is the most i'm
portant testimony Of the change in Northern
sentiment that has appeared in some time.
From the Charlotte Observer
Elsewhere in this issue IL printed a strong
defence Of the South's policy regarding
the negro from the time OF reconstruction
to the present 1t is from the editorial COL
umns of The SUM- and is Il reply to the aues-
lions Of Brooklyn negro. 1t Is a virtual
admission of the Justice and necessity OF
every position the South has assumed In
dealing with the race uastion since the slaves
were freed. 1t is powerful vndicati0n
OF her handling OF the most important prob.
lem she has had to deal with since Lees sur
render 1t admits that the enfranchisement
OF the newly freed slaves was a grave mistake.
acknowledges the inexcusable horrors of the
reconstruction era. justihes the inevitable
efforts OF the superior race to protect itself
against negro domination at any hazard"
frankly confesses "the North's misunoer.
standing OF the necessity OF the Souths
struggle for self-defence." and inferentially,
at least intmates It's conviction Of the neces-
slty OF the eventual repeal Of the Fifteenth
Amendment. Against overwhelming odds
the South has during the long years since
the Civil War borne the white mans burden.
and at the same time the suspicion. opposition
and interference Of the North But she was
never daunted and. conscious Of the rectitude
of her course. she has pursued the even tenor
Of her way. until time has wrought her vindi-
cation. as 1t will do for all who learn to walt
rs well as to labor; for the position now as
sumed by The Sun Is increasingly that of
the Northern mind.
From the Nashville American
The Sun is publishing n number Of letters
on the negro question from Northerners
now living in the South and their exper iences
with the negro and their opinion OF him are
not very fattering II has been demon
strated that the average Northern man who
comes In daily contact with the negro is much
less tolerant OF the negro's ways and faults
than the average Southern man is Nobody
thoroughly understands the negro He does
not know himself There are many Southern
ers always ready to cuss and discuss the
id Niger" who have but the slightest
knowledge OF the negro The man who
comes closest to really knowing the negro
Is the Southern white man who has had years
OF experience with him on the farm or plan
tation. or in railroad camps. dc There is
no more amusing or exasperating character
than the sure-enough negro In publishing
the series Of letters written by native North
erners concerning the negro as he is away
down South. The Sun is doing something to
enlighten the dense ignorance Of many OF
its readers on a subject Of which they are
slow to learn.