Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1906-07-14
SECRETARY TAFT
FIRES FIRST GUN
Opens Congressional Campaign With
Speech at Greensboro, N. C.
GIVES ADVICE TO THE SOUTH

Greensboro. N. c., July 1O.-Secre-
tary of War Taft. before a meeting OF
North Carolinans on the eve OF their
convention. delivered a speech that
was generally anticipated as the open
Ing gun of the congressional campaign
Of 1906. The speech dealt with cor
rupt political questions and opening
with advice To the rank and file OF the
party in North Carolina and the south
particularly referred - the achieve
ments Of the party I'm the session Of
congress just closed. Mr. Taft said
in part:
In opening he said that when he was
invited 20 address this meeting the
committee advised him that tie POI
litical situation was such that II a
proper effort was made at the coming
election Il would be possible 20 carry
tho state for the Republican party"
The secretary added.
II believe that nothing that could
happen ia the politics of this country
would work greater advantage to the
country at large. and TO the south in
particular than the breaking up OF
what has been properly known as the
solid south" ! say this In no partisan
spirit. for ! am not one OF those who
think that this result would neces-
sarily Increase the probability OF the
continuance in power OF the Republi-
can party.
THE solidity Of the south has. in
measure. furnished its own antidote
in restraining many voters in the
north. who might have left the Re
publican party but for what they re
gard as the injustice and danger OF
southern political conditions.
THE south has been kept solid by
the spectre OF negro domination and
by stirring up racial prejudices and
arousing unfounded alarm over an i'm.
possible return OF reconstruction
days" said the secretary. After a
long struggle Of the negroes vote was
made TO count for nothing and then
the political leaders OF the dominant
party came TO realize that dreadful
decentralization OF all society that fol.
lowed in a government II law was
fouted and fraud was 70 constitute its
basis. They cast about to make the
law square with existing conditions
by property and educational qualifca-
tons which should exclude the negro.
They adopted amendments TO the
state constitution. with the so-caIled
'grandfather's clauses intended TO ap-
ply the new qualifications TO the ne
gro and not TO apply them 70 the
whites"
1.-THE secretary said II is impossible
TO frame a law establishing an educa-
tional qualification for suffrage
which will stand the test OF the 18th
amendment. and which will not oper.
ate ultimately to exclude impartially
the negroes and whites from the bal.
lot who lack educational requirement
A policy in the south, he said. which
excludes from the ballot impartialIy
black and white, when ignorant and
irresponsible, cannot be criticised.
During the past decade, Mr.. Taft
pointed out, period OF unprecedented
prosperity has come for the fair south.
ern states. Under the circumstances
he said, lit is not 10 be expected that
the sensible. clear-headed business
men of the south do not perceive the
liCAASiuOuS ulSduNduldSe uDuer winch
the southern states labor in having
only one party with any voice In their
state governments. and in being herd.
ed together always as the hide-bound
support OF the Democratic party of
the country, no matter what wild fall.
lacies 1t may adopt in It's platform
nor what candidate 1t may put before
the country.
THE effect Of the change of indus.
trial conditions in eliminating the CRY
OF negro domination from the politics
of tht former slave owning states has
manifested itself first in the border
states. West Virginia has become per
manently Republican, and Maryland
and Missouri put themselves in the
Republican column in the last presi.
Dental election. while Kentucky
nearly brought forth works meet for
repentance in the first Mckinley cam.
paign."
Mr.. Talt contended that II the
southern people had kept up with the
times; had they at the ballot box OK.
pressed their sentiments on the living
issues OF the day, instead of allowing
themselves TO be frightened by a spec
tire and a SHADOW OF the past. thel: