The sun., 1904-07-31
TOSTAND BY THE NEGRO PLANK
SENATOR HOPKINS OF ILLINOIS
WARMLY DEFENDS 1T.


Question. He Says, Lies At the very
Foundation OF Free Government
WARRINGTON, July 3o.-Senator Hop.
kins Of Illinois expressed himself freely
to-day on the negro plank Of the Repub-
lican national platform and on the race
question generally. He Is the fret Repub-
lican Of national prominence to take ur
the Issue and discuss 1t unreservedly. Ad-
ditional interest Is attached to what he said
in view Of the fact that he had conferences
yesterday and to-day with President Roose-
! velt. It Is evident from the remarks Of
Mr.. Hopkins that the Administration intends
to stand by the negro plank and fight the
question out before the voters.
THAT plank" said Senator Hopkins, IL
one to which no right thinking citizen
North or South, can honestly object. The
question suggested by that plank is one
that lies at the very foundation Of repre-
sentative government, and upon Its right
and righteous settlement depends In no
small measure the liberty and prosperity
Of the American people.
/ sUnder the operation OF State constitu-
tions In this country to-day comparatively
few persons at the South are intrusted
with power equal to that enjoyed by great
number OF persons at the North. Take
the State Of South Carolina, for example,
where there are 500 900 white persons and
100 900 negroes. In that State negroes
are not allowed to vote, and the result is
that the 500 600 whites there exercise in the
Federal Government as much power as do
1900, 900 persons in Illinois.
"Now 1t Is mere commonplace to state
that such condition is travesty on rep
things continues, the time will not be long
before the liberties Of the people, white
as we'll as black, will be disregarded. Such
O government may be administered tntelli-
gently for time, but 1t can never In any
sense. be said to be free. The spirit Of
warp and woof of 1t, weaving a political
fabric that Is oligarchio and despotio and
subversive Of republican principles and
republican institutions,
while I've been talking with you here,
have had In mind the first great leader
Of the Republican party, and have won
dered what would be his view OF this ques-
ton il he were alive and could speak to US.
! cannot believe that the great and good
man who freed the bondman would now
consent to enslave the white man as we'll
al the black, and yet that is precisely what
our Democratic friends advise us to do.
Il agree with the Southern people that
they should be permitted to solve their
prODloInB unInOIe6teQ Dy lTI1U8IlnR pOntlC&l
Interference at the South or from the North;
but l cannot. as a Northern man, as an
American, consent to a programme that
strips me and my neighbors in Illinois
Democrats and Republicans alike-of our
constitutional rights in order to strengthen
the arms Of Southern white men who are
building a political oligarohy under the
pretence of maintaining the Anglo-Saxon
civilization and OF protecting the sanctity
Of the Anglo-Saxon home.
IL. Il Co. -
not been entrusted exclusively to the Bour-
bon Democrats of the South. Neither is
the sanctity Of the home revered exclu-
sively by political leaders who control the
destinies Of the old slave holding common
wealths. take it that both these are dear
to the American people. irrespective OF
section and of political affiliations.
THE trouble with the Southern white
people Is that they do not discriminate be-
tween social privileges and political rights
other Southern States, also-the whites
contend that no negro should be permitted
to hold public Office. l protest that that
-In Illinois we have 100000 negroes.
In proportion to their number they hold
as many offices in the Federal, State,
county and municipal governments in Illi-
nois as do the whites. In Chicago a negro
has been nominated for the Legislature.
Others hold responsible positions In the
COuTL6. WIG OI JHeIu-d Ilhu IldIueu MOT
ris-is an excellent lawyer, highly edu-
Gated and widely travelled.
when in England he was entertained by
the nobility. Such a man Is permitted to
hold public Office in Illinois. but II he were
as wise as Hamilton or Jefferson and as
safe as Washington he could not be elected
to be constable in South Carolina, or under
Democratic Federal administration, be
permitted to act as postmaster at cross
roads village.
in it's present attitude it will inevitably
degrade the negro, taking from him all
incentive to high endeavor and providing
him down into the darker places and COM
pelling him always to tread level lower
that fo%eS a bnSs wne @s to ts
OF this question: namely. that the Demo-
cratic party is foisting upon the country
a policy which will result In our having in
this nation two great classes-the one riding
OF the whites depending upon the supine-
ness Of the blacks. Lincoln said that the
nation could not continue half slave and
half free.
"The Republican party believes that the
vigor, one-half politically an oHgarchy
and one-half politically a republic;
Now, in what l have said, have not
intended to condemn severely our Southern
Democratic friends; know their prob
lcIub dIe Hldtly anu cOHlplCdleu anu eA-
ceedingly difficult of solution. suppose
they win tell me that theoretically am
right in my views, but that practically
! am quite wrong. | know a great many
Northern men who have lived number
of years in the South and / must admit
that in many cases they take the view Of
these Southern Democrats.
Il have in mind a dear friend OF mine !
who was Of Northern parentage and tradi-
tons. He fought four years to destroy
slavery and to keep the nation whole.
After the war he settled in the South. To-
day he is a thorough-going Democrat and
sympathizes heartily with the Southern
people in the expedients they have en-
ployed to eliminate the possibility Of politi-
cal control on the part OF the negroes.
"Yes, 1t is a great and grave question. |
Its solution will require the wisdom and
the patriotism and the patience Of the
best people Of all parties for many, many !
years.
JOBS FOR M'CARREN'S FOES.