The Montgomery tribune. (Montgomery City, Mo.) 1892-1910, 1904-07-08
A MATTER OF IMPORTANCE.
Suffrage Plank In Republican Plat
form Stands for More Than
Appears on Surface.

As the campaign progresses more at
tontiOn viii be given to the suffrage
plank Of the republican platform than
1t has attracted during these nrst days
VI post-convcntion discussion. while
the republican party has always de-
mandod full recognition NJ the four
iccnth and fifteenth amendments. a
definite declaration at this time that
congress must take action marks u
departure from the policy OF recent
years, There viii no longer be even
the appearance Of an attempt to build
up ropublicnnism In the southern
states by ignoring the disiranchlso-
mont OF the colorod people.
This suffrage plank. that might have
been n paragraph from one Of Con.
gresham Crumpackcr'B speeches,
reads:
We favor ~ congressional action rs
shall determine whether b, special discrim
nations tho elective franchise % my state
has been uuuunrtltutionnliy limited, aud
II - We d,mnnd that representation len con.
gross ana IN the electoral college nhnl BIO
propotuoHully reduced, as directed hS ne
constitution " the United Rtat'a,
In view Of this declaration II viii
be impossible for a republican con
gress TO escape an investigation into
the methods employed In the south to
suppress suffrage. Only one OF two
results can follow such Investigation.
Either the southern stalts viii see
that II n impracticablo To 80 on with
subtorfugos. ana viii adopt honest sur
fHufs. Iuauw 80 H.. s.nENA uHllN NAa a.. A
that the south secures only such rcp-
resontation In congress and In tho
electoral college as ~ voting popu-
lallon entities Il to To-day MissisHlp-
pi has i've times the influence nj Wash
ingion that Iowa has. In proportion to
the people IN each state that actually
take part In public affairs THIS Is
both absurd and mOnstrous.
There will always be the fcrling In
the north that congress ought 10 take
steps TO enforce the fifteenth amend
mont. and without any indir. elton
whatever see to II that qualified ne.
Erons are allowed 10 vote In The south
orn states. But as the fourteenth
amendment preceded the fifteenth In
the development Of public sentiment
following the war. 80 n may prorode
II now. nearly 40 years later, In this
second revival Of sentiment on the
suffrage question II the fourteenth
amendment Is enforced and every
southern state has It's representation
In rongross aud 10 the electoral col
lcge cut down In proportion as It OK
cludes Us colored vote. the most cffoc-
tive means may have been adopted for
securing final recognition u the rights
OF The negro at the polls. For the
south would be n negligible factor In
politics under fourteenth amendment
The Des Moines Register observes
that the moral effect Of m lnvestlga-
tion by congress into southern election
methods will be wonderfully tonlng
TO public sentiment regarding rights
OF citizenship. The public mind once
fully turned TO the problems that arc
presented by southern ovasions Of the
constitution and southern attempts 10
build up a republic on tho backs Of
n subject race. will once for all In some
effective way settle II that this IL yet
TO be a government Of tho people. re-
gardless OF race or color.