The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1906-11-30
Williams Al WMIalu.

John Sharp Willi,ms, n i1ority lead.
or in congress and can lidate fol
the United States sen ITO. addressed
a big crowd Of voters If this county
here today. Mr., Williams was Civ
en- close attention and he delivered q
magnificent speech. He devoted
most Of his time to a discussion Of
the impracticability Of the repeal Of
the fifteenth amendment, making
practically the same speech that be
made in Jackson during the Indus
trial Exposition. The speech OF Mr.
Williams made a deep impression
upon his hearers and was Literally
applauded. He said that if it was
possible to repeal the fifteenth
amendment that it would have been
repealed long ago by southern men
who we're in congress. He said that il
both branches Of congress we're DEM
ocratic that it could not be done,
and that it would only be done when
the question was thoroughly under
stood by the people Of the north, and
not before.
The South's rapid industrial de-
yelopment was attributed to
the substantial political disfran-
chisement of the negro. He said that
from 1890 to 1900 Mississippi had
made greater progress in manufact-
uring than Connecticut, and that the
South generally a greater per cent.
than New England. AS a reason
for this, he said:
"The reason consists in the fact
that in 1890 Mississippi adopted a
constitution, virtually DISTINGUISHING
the negro race, without, however,
violating the provisions of the ff-
teenth amendment"
Louisiana, South Carolina, North
=
Carolina, Virginia and Alabama had
done likewise and the result had
been racial peace accompanied by
material welfare. As a solution of
the negro problem, Mr.. Williams
favored employing white laborers.
ANSWER TO VARDAMAS.
Mr.. Williams said in part:
"If the Northern people are in
voked and melted once more to sit
in judgment upon the relations that
should exist between the two races
in the South, | warn you that, if
they consent to take oognizance Of
the case at all, which | doubt, it will
be a full cognizance, and hal they
will be very much more apt to pass
legislation strengthening and en-
forcing their construction Of the Fiji
tenth amendment, or enforcing
what they construe to be the Just
meaning of the Fourteenth amend
ment, either of which two things
they could do by a mere majority
vote, than they are by a two.thirds
majority in both houses and a three
thirds majority in the States, to re-
peal the Fifteenth amendment. As
conditions are today in Mississippi
conditions brought about solely by
State action, so far as the political
phase of the negro question is con-
cerned, so far as his being a factor
at elections in concerned), he cuts in
politics very much less figure than
he does in Delaware, New Jersey,
Illinois or Indiana. In other words
the percentage Of negroes who can
vote in Mississippi to the total num-
Der of voters is very much less than
the percentage Of negro voters in the
States which | have just mentioned,
and in several other States besides,
to the total number of all voters
there.
"We are told by Governor Varda-
man that the man is woefull 'ignor-
ant and narrow who says that he
wants State action in connection with
this question, and that he does not
want it again precipitated upon the
congress Of the United States, to be
dealt with by the nation. | suppose
that was aimed at me. My answer
to this denunciation, rather than ar
gument, is that we have had the
State action with the results which
we now see, and that the action Of
the State-the constitution Of 1890
has passed the muster Of the Su-
preme Court Of the United States.
Now, of course, |, like every other
man with one drop of Southern