The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-11-25
A sOuthern statement |.
Portland oregonian. (Rep.)

Portland Oregonian. (Rep.) tN
 Mir. Clark Howell. of The Atlanta Constitution, one of the most widely man of Judgment, discretion and att tractive personality, has the universal respect Of the newspaper fraternity, as an able and liberal exponent of south ern opinion and political action. He regrets as such a man must. the sec- tional division of parties, says the rea- son of the Solid South Is the negro, yet believes the race question might be these propositions as fundamentally tr1ass' viz; z;,.s ,s. .... .n..,,o. ..-.o,,.a the Southern States would divide on the ordinary political issues of the day. just as they did before the civil war.
 2. The best interests of the negro would thus be conserved and the well fare of the whole country would thus be materially promoted: -.-
 Mir. Howell follows this with a state ment of what he means by elimination of the race question, viz.:
 T: The acceptance ps by each section the problem in its own way as long as the laws of the respective States and of the Federal Government and the pro visions of the Constitution are not vI-
 '2. Reasonable, and at least moder- ate recognition by whatever party may be In power of the sentiment, tra- OlUOnS ana SenSlDlllL1eS UI the puDiIC opinion of the respective States in the matter of Federal appointment of such officials as must be brought into rcon- tact with the public."
 the South to yield consent to these sug- gcstlons. Truth is, the North long has been willing to leave to the South the solution Of the diffcult race duee- since ceased from effort to force negro suffrage at the South. Again, the gen. eral opinion of the North holds it a mistake to push negroes into conspic- uous Federal positions in the South. for 1t is not done in the North and it Is best, moreover not to touch the sem abilities of the South on this sore fRRoSrht fRRoS of in sgsb att should SId be deed they play an important part in all matters of politics, society and government. On this particular sub iect the South is exceedingly sensitive. that doesn't alter the case, nor pro- vide an aptidote for the sectional splr- it.. The Oregonian believes 1t wise to follow the outline suggested by MT. Howell. and thus make some effort at least to get rid of the difncult and try ing situation thus stated, strongly, by The Chicago Tribune:
 'Srhe South is Intellectually Isolated. politically marooned, immersed in one local issue. excluded from the larger life of the nation, turned into itself ana placeu WlIn US Dack toward the future. It can give the rest of the country no aid in the solution of the questions which will make the future what ie Is to be. Is a Southerner a protectionist? Does he believe in ex- pansiOn2 Does he approve of the &C., quisition of the Panama strip? Does he see the need of adequate coast for tifications and of an efficient navy? Does he resent the plutocratlc abduc- tion of the Democratic party? Does he know that Parker was manufactured by New York financial interests? Still he must vote the Democratic ticket He cannot trust himself to a party synonymous in his mind with pro-ne- gro Interference"
 We all feel that the South has given needless and exaggerated importance to certain incidents in President Roose- Yelt's course towards members of the negro race. Nevertheless, that ineFad- Icable prejudice is there, and 1t would be wiser to soothe 1t than to add fur theF irritation. Besides, if we must recognize" the negro in political and social life, for encouragement of the race, why shouldn't we begin in the Northern States7 Why not a negro postmaster at Boston as we'll as a ne- gro Collector of Customs at Charles, ton? Does any one suppose Massachu- setts wouldn't roar as loudly as South CaFOltna9