The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1903-03-06
REPUBLICAN CONSISTENCY.

REPUBLICAN CONSISTENCY
The New York Evening Post has
been one of the most consistent
friends of the equa! rights of thc
negro. Many oft uttcranccs have
been almost bitter in partisanslip
but we feel sure that & mistaken
knowledge of the real facts as they
exist are largely responsible for the
broad stand that our esteemed con
temporary has taken. We believe
that if it could be induced to make q
personal investigation into the true
conditions as they exist today il
would probably stop its theorizing
and handle the subject from apracti,
cal standpoint. No one can question
its sincere motive and its columns
are edited with the desire to present
facts as they actually seem and not
from any political standpoint. In a
recent article on the negro question
it takes a rather startling position
that the Republicans cannot be con-
sidered as consistent so long rs they
will attempt to enforce negro equality
in the South, but Filipino inferior,
ity in our newly acquired colonies
The Post urges the party in power
to extend the same rights and priv,
leges to the Filipino that are az,
corded any other citizen under our
constitution and until this is done
little need be expected towards the
material advancement of the negro
race. 1t says:
"Thackeray once took off his hat
in the Reform Club, and bowed low
to John Bright, who was passing.
When asked why he did it, he said
that he wished to express his reve:-
ence for the most consistent states
man whom | know Could he or
any other independent moralist, sa-
lutte the Republican party today for
a like reason: In the fundamental
policy which gave it birth, and which
it still processes to advocate-equal
rights for all, white or blacIl-has it
today that clear and consistent atti-
tude which alone can nerve its arm
and make its moral port impressive:
eve are moved to ask these ques.
tions in view of current discussions OF
the negro question in this country.
In one way and another it has come
rapidly to the front in the past few
weeks. Atpublic meetings ofvarious
kinds, i'll many pulpits on Washing
tons Birthday, the issue oftle negro's
political rights has been made the
theme of debate. We shall certainly
hear much more of it. Politically,
the subject of negro disiranchisenent
in the South is bound to have great
prominence in the next Congress. In
many Republican quarters we hear
again the old clear note of human
liberty. The Presidents attitude,
with that of the Senate's, in the case
of the few select negroes whom he has
named for Federal office, has aroused
thought and provoked an agitation
which bids fair to go to the root OF
things. 1t almost seems as if the old
moral fervor ofthe Republican party,
in all that relates to human rights
and equal opportunity, might DE re-
kindled
Gust as the flame begins to leap
up, however, a wet blanket is cast
upon it. 1t is thrown by the South
ern challenge of Republican sincerity.
At the very moment when Northern
speakers and preachers, taking cour-
age from the Presidents bold stand
for fair play for the negro, are begin
ming to reassert the old doctrine that
all men are equal in the sight of God,
and should be made equal before hui
man law, an overwhelming retort
comes from the South. 1t was put
into words at the dinner Of the New
York Southern Society on Saturday
night. One of the speakers, Mr..
Braxton, of Virginia, denied that the
white men Of the North really believe
in the Fifteenth Amendment. The
moment, he said, it was proposed to
apply that doctrine Of the political
and legal rights of an inferior race
to apply it logically and all around
the 1oudcst advocates Of it i'll tie
North stood aghast and retreated.
They shrank from enforcing it, the
speaker said, in our new insular pos
sessions There they frankly ac-
cepted what the majority of white
men in the South accePt-namcly, the
right of a superior race to do as it
will with an inferior race With what
face, then, can the Republican party
reproach the South, or go to work to
pena1ize it in the matter of represen-
tation in Congress, for doing Just
what a Republican Administration