Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1903-05-21
TCosmUsIcATED.


The decision OF the Supreme Court |
handed down. on the Ala
hama election franchise case, and
which declared in effect that State
has q right to determine who is en-
titled 70 q ballot, has created much
interest here in political circles
on course, there are divergent opin-
ions. Among Southern Democratic
members Of Congress the opinion
is universally approved on constitu-
tional grounds. while some OF the
Northern Republican members say
that no State has a right to disfran-
chise any Of its citizens. The de-
cision Of the court is victory for
States Rights. IL virtually says
that any State may do as il pleases
in a sovereign matter Of this char
acter, and the decision will tend 10
clarity the situation respecting ne
gro suffrage in all the States OF the
South, and probably will put an end
20 other test cases. II sos il is be-
lieved here that it will have a far
reaching effect7or good in the whole
country and go far toward the set
Element OF the so called negro prob
lem. Itsimply means that the South
ern people are the agency through
which the ques lion Of the negro's
future can be solved, and that the
first step toward satisfactory settle
ment is TO be found in disfranchise-
ment. Itmeans that the negro must
first be eliminated from politics.
That accomplished, the white people
OF the South can seek by industrial
development the betterment of the
black race, which shall not only re-
dound TO the ad vantage of the cOlored
people, but the whites of the South
as well.
The written opinion OF Mr.. Justice
Holmes contains discussion OF the
question how far a Court of Equity
ought 10 go in attempting to redress
political wrongs, and it arrives at
the conclusion that such a court
properly has no such power-that
for the court to undertake such
jurisdiction would amount in the
end 10 the administration of the gov
eminent by the court, and puts the
whole question up to Congress.
Some people here believe that this
decision will be an incentive for
Crumpacker and others of his ilk to
get busy again and endcavor to have
their pet measure put through re-
ducing the representation of the
States Of the South which have cur
tailed the negro vote. If they do il
will prove precious boon TO the
Democracy in the next great battle
of the ballots. The people OF this
country simply will not stand for il.
as was evidenced by the sweeping
Democratic victories of 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 working in the
other direction. They wanted the
Elkins bin passed at the last session
of Congress and that is why they
sent those kilograms to the Senate
asking that il 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 reelected.
They know the people wish to give
them what they do not want. Watch
the game.
Attorney General Knox is in q
quandary. He is like the fellow who
was drunk and was hugging lamp
post. IL he let go he would fall,
and if he held on he would freeze.
MIR. Knox has found that u success
full prosecution of the trusts can be
conducted, and he doesn't want to
injure the trusts. They are Great
ures of the republican party, and
the party is their creature. If the
party is going to turn against its
friends there is going to be trouble.
II Mr.. Knox does not go on the peo-
pie will make life burden for him,
and IL he does go on the trusts will
smash him. And that's what's the
matter with Knox.
%##
was told few days ago by the
highest possible authority that the
investigation into the Coal Trust
methods by the Interstate Commerce
Commission instituted by Mr.. Viii
liam Randolph Hearst, would go TO
the bottom of things before it was
dropped. The Coal Trust must pro-
duce its papers and contracts or be
hailed before the courts of the coun-
try and show a reason for its refu-
sal that is LEGAL What a RannhIi.