The Montgomery advertiser., 1904-06-26
FEATURES of THE CHICAGO PLAT
FORM

&
Ex-secretary Root undoubtedly made
an able address as temporary Chairman
of the Republican National Convention.
His speech was pitched on high plane
| and in claiming as much as he did for
| his party, It would be foolish for a
| Democrat to assert he had no ground
| to stand upon. The Republican Party
has some notable achievements to it's
credit. We are not of a mind TO at
tempt to recount these now. What
concerns the country generally lie the
| purpose the Republicans have in try
| ing to retain power and not what may
be credited to them in the field of sprac-
teal legislation during the thirty odd
years In which they have been in all
| but complete control. The Party Will
be judged not by "reminiscences but by
its promises and threats.
The platform contains one distinct
promise and one distinctNthreat. The
turers. The Republicans will touch the
tariff Just when they see Mt. and Just
In the manner they see Mt The threat,
is. they will reduce the representation
of certain Southern States in Congress
and in what Senator Lodge in.his ridic-s
ulous English. terms 5"the Electoral
Colleges" This threat is a genuine.
surprise; the tariff plank is not.
The tariff as an issue. we think. had
best be met frankly and boldly. The
Republicans say the Democrats are the
enemies of a high protective tariff, of
any protective tariff whatever. They
are. and there is no need to attempt
evasion. There is no sense in. lodging
about the question. If a party Is mere
ly an instrument to retain or to get Of
nee, and administer the Government,
and that is all a party is for, in fact,
the Democracy can cherish no hope of
winning protectionist votes by a mealy-
mouthed declaration on the tariff.
Those who profit by protection will nat
urally and properly look to the Repub-
licans to take care of the protected in
terests. All the sweetness and ginger
ly politeness in the world will not per-
suade those manufacturers that the
Democratic Party will nurse and care
for them as the Republicans have done.
Anti-protection ought to be plainly de-
clared at st. Louis and we believe 1t
will be.
The threat comes home to the South
and particularly to Alabama and the
six other Southern States that have
enacted laws abridging the right of
io tu 20 V11o In,
speaking. Rather than be subjected to
the control or the dominant influence
even, of the negro. these Southern
States could we'll afford to surrender
not only a part, but all representation
in Congress, and the Electoral College.
BY a supreme necessity we must gov
ern our own lives when 1t comes to the
negro. We cannot and will not toler-
ate any effort to re-subject us to him.
If this is treason, then the most that
can be made of it, must be made of 1t.
Nevertheless, the South will appeal
to it's brethren of the North. not to go
one step in the direction these real Re-
publican revolutionists have pointed
out. There is absolutely no way what
ever to determine how many men, white
and black, are disfranchised by our
laws. how many of those qualified, vol
UNFAIRLY remain away from the polls.
And yet on the flimsy, sandy foundation
of knowing precisely the number of
male adults who are restrained by law
from voting in Alabama, 1t is proposed
to penalize the State by cutting down
it's proportion of representation in
choosing a President and in enacting
laws. We have no fear that this will
ever be done. 1t shows. though. that
we have before us in the Republican
mined enemy of the South and its in
situations.