The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1903-05-01
REPUBLICAN PART Y'S
BURDEN.

The opinion of the United State!
Supreme Court last Monday in thu
Alabama suffrage case was delivered
by Justice Holmes, who, before hi
appointment to that exalted tribuEa
was Chief Justice of the Massachusetts.
Supreme Court. This is a most sig
nifcant fact, and it will be regarded BY
broad-minded men in all parts Of The
country as most encouraging one az
well. In the war between the States
Justice Holmes held commission ir
the United States Army, and made
an enviable record as soldier. The
enfranchsement Of the negro was the
direct result of that war. The South
has been compelled, in defense of its
civilization, to place restrictions upon
the exercise of suffrage by the negro
Justice Holmes opinion substantially
aflirms the legal right Of the South tc
do this without interference by the
Federal courts. If the negroes who
are deprived of the voting franchise
have grievance, they must seek re.
dress from the political department
of the Government The Fedral courts
cannot provide the remedy for politi-
cal grievances of this kind.
The principles laid down by Justice
Holmes will, of course, be approved in
the South, which has suffered almost
incalculable injury in the past from
unrestricted negro suffrage. There
are very sound reasons why, from the
political point of view, the opinion of
Justice Holmes should he received
with equal approval in the North.
With negro supremacy an impossi-
bility in any Southern State by rea-
son of restricted suffrage, it is not i'm
probable that the white people of the
OOuGu WOulu ulSlue vi udtiOhoi i'Oii'
tical issue as freely as the voters in
the North do. AS long as the "black
peril" exists, however, the South feels
that it must remain solid. Although
there are honest differences of opinion
among Southern white men on ques-
tions of national policy, they cannot
imperil their local and State govern
ments by divisions On issues Of nation
al Importance While ten gro prob
lem remains unsettled. This being
the case, shrewd Republican states
men seem to have concluded that their
party would derive material benefit
from restrictions upon the negro vote,
not only in those Southern States in
which the negro is in the majority or
constitutes large element of the vot-
ing population, but also in other
States in which lie holds the balance
of power, or IN which his co operation
with the Republican party forces
white voters into the ranks of the
opposition, in order TO secure good
government. From the political stand
point, therefore, the regulation of the
negro vote in every State in which it is
a considerable factor, it is conceded
by thoughtful Republicans, might
prove Of advantage to the Republican
party. The loss of black voters would
probably be offset by accessions of
white voters. Whatever might be
the result of elections after the litter
ate and shiftless negro had been elimi-
mated, there would be a better pros
pect of an honest and efficient admins
tration of public affairs.
There is another reason why the
North should not deny the right of
the Southern States to regulate negro
suffrage. In the last decade North
ern capital has been invested in enor-
nous sums in the South. At the
present time there is no more inviting
field for investment than the South.
The industries Of Dixie are growing
rapidly. It's mineral resources are
almost inexhaustible. Its agricultural
development is steadily increasing
1t is to the advantage Of the large
number of Northern men who have
investments in the S )u.h that the
governments OF the Southern States
should be controlled by the most in
telligent and substantial classes. That
is the surest protection for their i'm
mense property interests. Further
more, the prosperity of the South is
a considerable factor in the prosperity
of the nation. The Southern States
cannot prosper in proportion to their
resources if they are to be at the
mercy of hordes of illiterate negroes
upon whose demoralizing influence in
politics no restrictions can be placed
The courts decision was not based up
on any of these considerations, al
thonnh If 10 MT conceiva HE that they