The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-06-07
THE OHIO "IDEE,"

| Washington and published in this paper,
lit was stated that the Republican leaders
were seriously considering two PROPOSE
tons: /. To change the rules in the
Senate to cut off debate; and 2. To re-
duce Southern representation in Congress.
while not antagonizing these propositions,
the Eastern Senators, with the exception
of Aldrich (the most influential of alb,
were not disposed to press the radical leg.
slatiep which would find its inspiration
Ifrom the West. That publication was not
made upon mere rumor but upon the
information of a gentleman whose opinions
and position give weight to any state
ment or political prediction
For many years Ohio has made Repub-
lican policies, and has been looked to by
other States to set the pace for Repub-
hcan campaigns as well as to furnish can
didates John Sherman created Republi-
can policies and wrote its platforms on
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incarnation of the idea of protection. Mark
Hanna is the embodiment of the ship
subsidy proposition and Foraker voices
bloody-shirt politics. 1t is because of
Ohio's dominance in Republican circles
that its platform declaration in favor of
reducing Southern representation is enti-
tied to serious consideration, foreshadow-
ing, as it probably does, the position of
the Republicans in the national platform
of 1904 Inasmuch as the issue raised by
Ohio will have TO be met, the Democrats
should give consideration to the language
of the Ohio platform. We quote it in
full:
: "Ohio was the first State with soil for
ever free from the stain of slavery
pledged by the great creative ordinance
| of 1887 to the fundamental principles of
civil and religious liberty and bound
| thereby to forever remain part of the
United States of America Ohio was fore
most in the war to preserve the indie
| structible union of indestructible States
and adheres firmly to every amendment
which that war wrote into our country's
Constitution as binding in honor upon
every American citizen. Therefore, we
hold fast to the doctrine of equity every
where in the exercise of the elective fran
chise, maintaining that justice requires
any States excluding any Of its citizens
from the ballot to be proportionately re-
duced in its representation in the cleo
L farn 4 -
National Congress"
Unless a.. signs fail, this may be taken
as the first formal gun fired in the be-
ginning of another bloody-shirt and sec
tional campaign. The thoughtful educat-
ed and business men of the North have re-
joiced IN the settlement of the negro ques-
ton made in justice and in honor by the
South. They do not wish to see that
pandora's box again opened But the
Ohio politicians evidently see another
president in the negro question and will
prefer party advantage to race peace and
national quiet upon this troublesome
question. The Southern people have set
tied the negro question in the only way
| IN which it can be settled. II it is I'M
disturbed, we may be sure that it will
work out well for both races But if,
guided by petty political advantage.
Foraker and Hanna inject their "Ohio
idee' into national politics, who may guess
the evils, prejudice, the bitterness that
will follow another sectional and racial
disturbance?
One thing is certain: The South will
neither submit to have its representation
reduced in Congress nor permit the negroes
to govern in any city, county or State in
the South. 1t has been able to defeat
the objects of every hostile statute aimed
at it since 1863 1t has resource and de-
termination enough to prevent its undong
by future hostile legislation. How VIII it
manage? There are ways and ways. Men
who are as resolved upon white rule and
Equality of representation as the Southern
people will prove themselves as fertile in
lexpedients as sectional legislators are ready
with new schemes of wrong and injustice
| Since the the above was in type, the
washington Post has the following item
in its news columns, which bears upon
the subject:
| "Other States of the Middle West are
Expected to take up as an issue the re-
duction of Southern representation be-
cause of suppression OF the negro vote,
following the lead of Ohio. When that
| fight was on unsuccessfully in the House
OF Representatives winter before last the
Ohio Representatives were foremost in its
favor, although they admitted confidenti-
| ally to their friends that it was only a
political move to catch the negro votes in
their constituencies. Speaker Henderson,
] Uncle Joe Cannon, soon to be Speaker
Representative Payne, Dalzell and other
leading men in the House combatted the
plan stoutly and eventually prevented any
action.
Strong support for the Ohioans. how
ever, came from Indiana and it win be
no surprise if Representative Crumpacker
4 4.