Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1903-05-20

each. Presidents Cleveland and
Mckinley were satisfied to ride on
the "Sylph" or the Dolphin"
when they wanted to go out TO sea,
but alongside of the "Mayhower"
they look like cheap tugs. If the
people of the country want the
aristocracy of wealth instead of
intellectual the White House. they
should by all means keep Roose-
welt there.
The decision of the Supreme
Court, recently handed down, on
the Alabama electic franchise case.
and which declared in effect that
state has the right to determine
who shall be entitled to the ballot,
has created much interest here i'm
political circles. OF course. there
are divergent opinions. Among
southern democratic members of
Congress the opinion is universally
approved ON constitutional grounds
while some of the northern repub-
lican members say that no state
has right to disfranchise any class
of its citizens. The decision of the
court is a victory for states rights.
1t virtually says that any state
may do as it pleaScs in a sovereign
matter of this character. and the
decision will tend TO clarity the
situation respecting negro suffrage
in ali the states of the south. and
probably will put an end to other
test cases. If SO, it is believed
here that it will have far-rcach-
ing effect for good in the whole
country and go far towards the
settlement of the so-called negro
problem. 1t simply means that
the southern people are the agency
through which the question of the
negrO's future can be solved. and
that the first step towards salts
factory settlement is 10 be found in
diSfranchiSement. IL means that
the negro must first bc eliminated
from politics. That accomplished
the white people of the South can
seek. by industrial development.
the bettermcnt of the black race.
which shall not only rebound TO
the advantage of the colored people.
but the whites of the South aS well.
The written opinion of Mr..
Justice Holmes contains a discus
sion of the question how fara court
of equity ought to go in attempt
ing 10 redress political wrongs.
and it arrives at the conclusion that
such "A court properly has no such
power-that for the court To under
take such jurisdiction would amount
in the end to the administration of
the government by the court. and
puts the whole question up to the
Congress. Some people here be-
lieve that this decision will be an
incentive for Crumpackcr and
others of his ilk to get busy again
and endeavOr to have their pet
measure put through reducing the
representation of the states of the
South which have curtailed the
negro vote. If they do it will prove
a precious boon TO the Democracy
in the next great battle of the bal
lots. The people of the country
simply will not stand for it, rs was
evidenced by the sweeping Dem
ocratic victories in 1874 and 1890
after the attempt to put through
the force bills. The Republicans
are not looking for that kind of an
= issue.
Whenever the trusts want any
thing they begin poking in the
other direction. They wanted the
Elkins bill passed at the last ses-
sion of Congress, and that is why
they sent those kilograms to the
Senate asking that it be killed.
They knew that would do the trick.
That is why, at this time. they are
giving out the impression that they
do not want Roosevelt nominated
or elected. They know the people
! will give them what they do not
! want. Watch the game.
= Attorney General Knox is in a
quandary. He is like the fellow
2 who was drunk and was hugging a
lamp-post. If he let go he would
. fall, and if he held on he would
t freeze. Mr.. KnOz has shown that
e successful prosecution of the
/, trusts can be conducted, and he
D doesn't want to injure the trusts
q They are creatures of the Republic
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