Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1906-04-14

SITUATION is still by no means hope
less one. for the Negro and the po-
litical power that he may in the
future exercise.
II will be noted that the iistin-
. guished Secretary virtually con
dones the very fraud and trickery
that ne assumes TO have been prac-
ticed. In this particular. he is in
line with the Supreme Court of the
United States of which be is soon
TO become a most prominent part.
He makes no qualification when he
speaks OF the ignorance and incapac
fly OF the Negroes of the South
land. but he proclaims in qualifying
language that ne does not know that
the suffrage laws Of the Southland
are a fraud. framed to disqualify
worthy and capable Negroes ami to
deceive honest and Justice loving
white people in the North.
? Those facts with which We are
B. not personally familiar can only be
substantiated and sustained by ev.
1 idence Certainly. IL the able Ohio
statesman had paid any attention
whatever to the election cases so
often paraded in congress and to
the suits at law repeatedly carried
up to the Supreme Court. he could
proclaim with truth ana with author
ity that the charges made are true
! for the reason that no reputable
Democrat has taken the pains 70 de-
/ ny them.
Even Senator B. r. Tllman open
/ ly bOasted not only of fraud. but Of
murder. and he has the brand Of
President Roosevelt on mis- back. if
the distinguished occupant Of the
/ White House has been correctly
quoted that he is an honest man.
Secretary Taft assures the Ne
! groes of the South that they will be
able TO accomplish the miracle OF
lifting themselvcs up by their own
boot-straps. he fails. however to
cite any fact in history. where this
feat has ever been accomplished
without outside help. and it is
known by am scholars and students
of the ages rhat history repeats
itself"
Here in Virginia. a colOred ply
stefan. a graduate from a medical
college. man VINO had passed the
medical examining board in this
state was denied the right TO regis
ter and to vote upon the specious
plea that he did not understand the
Virginia state constitution. ana the
said registrar was unable 20 keep
his own books A colored mail.
carrier of this city. who had passed
the Civil Service examination was de
MED the right to register and vote
for the same reason. A colored
minister. a graduate OF a theologi.
cal college aud a student in Latin.
was denied the right to register az
Phoebus. Va. for the same reason.
practicing pharmacist. who owned
at that ume thousands OF dollars
worth Of property went to vote and
found himself marked dead" and
IL took him more than six months
after the election before he was a.
bic TO become "alive" again.
Some colored men took advantage
Of this species of fraud by refusing
TO pay pollta when the assess
ments were made on the ground
that dead men were not required 70
pay taxes-they were citizens Of the
other world. But Secretary Taft
says he does not know these things
and the Supreme Court OF the Unit
ed States repeatedly refuses to
know these things and we suggest
that this great economist. jurist
and statesman accept the appoint.
ment and thereby find himself in
the midst Of the most agreeable
company.
Secretary Taft advocated a divis-
ion of the Negro vote and we Incl
dentally infer that ne and his asso-
ciates are anxious to unload the
cltlzen or color. What else are we
to infer from the following Ian
guage2
In the first place. If he continues
TO Increase in intelligence by the ac|
ceptance OF the educational oppor-
tunities which are being offered him
under the influence OF Washington
in great institutions like this. and
industrially he becomes a power
and this gradually increases the
number OF his race who are eligible
to vote in accordance with law, he
introduces into the electorate a
body of individuals well qualified to
act with common sense and judg-
ment and who, by their very posi-
ton In the community, give weight
TO the vote they cast.
Coming TO the ballot box in small
numbers as compared with the to-
tai nmuhar of tho rara