The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-12-19
The Union League Club and Suffrage
 in the South.

The Union League Club of New York. in its meeting held last week, voted unan- imously that the Government be requested to instruct the district attorneys in the various States where an illegal suppress sion of the vote is alleged to prosecute every case where there has been a vio- lation of the laws of the United States in respect to the suffrage, and that Congress be asked and urged to investigate the charges of suppression of votes contrary to the fourteenth and fifteenth amend | ments of the Constitution of the United States and to cut down the representa- tion of the States in proportion to the number of voters so disfronchised. We take it for granted that neither the administration nor Congress is going to make an issue of this question at the be- ginning of a national campaign. It is in fact live wire" so far as the Republi- cans are concerned, and they will beware of 1t.
 Moreover. there are many Republicans who seriously doubt whether the attempt to enforce the fourteenth and fifteenth amendments will be of any benefit to the people who are disfranchised. There is question whether these amendments have been or are being violated. and the Re pubiicans do not like to contemplate de- feat in the courts. The general attitude of intelligent Republicans is very well ex- pressed by Robert c. ogden, President of the Southern Education Board, who made the following statement prior to the meet ing of the Union Labor League Club. and
 
 precipitate action on the matter:
 Any request to the Government in the nature of an appeal to the courts will, 1t seems to me
 "First-Injure the material, political and educational interests of the negro in the Southern States.
 "Second-Discourage the growth of aca- demic freedom in the South. The recent action of the Board of Trustees of one of the most important of Southern col leges was a notable victory for intellec- tual independence. The movement to- ward academic freedom will be hindered just in proportion to Northern use of the negro in party politics.
 ''Third-A prominent representative of the opposition party is seeking the Dem ocratic nomination for the Presidency up- on the negro issue. If the proposed ac- ton is taken 1t will contribute powerfully toward securing that nomination.
 "Fourth-The Northern introduction of the color question into Republican politics will make doubly sure the continuity of supply the very weapons that Democracy needs in the fight against Republicanism. thus adding to the difficulty of electing our national candidate.
 ''Fifth-It will rstard and hinder the further progress of the sober public to secure justice for the negro.
 The issue neede academic, not parti" san discussion; national not sectional con- sideration; practical. not abstract action; constructive not destructive treatment. The Southern States should be put upon their honor to enforce honestly their own franchise laws. Time for this has not elapsed. If after fair, deliberate oppor- tunity the trial results in failure. then consider the remedy afforded by the four tenth and fifteenth amendments to the Constitution, with both of which cordi- a