The Caucasian. (Clinton, N.C.) 188?-1913, 1906-07-12

Greensboro, Spccial.-The Repub-
lean State Convention was highly
honpred by the presence of Hon. Viii
liam II. Taft, Secretary of War, in
President RooseveIt's cabinet and
popular and well known statesman.
TIE sanbstance of his logical and
masterly address follows:
Secretary Taft's Address.
Republicans of North Carolina:
When Your committee did me the
honor TO ask me TO address the Re
publican convention Of North Caro-
lima. they advised me that the pohti-
cal situation was such that if a prop
er effort were made at the coming
election, it would be possible to carry
the State for the Republican party,
and that IN that effort they felt they
were entitled to the sympathy and
assistance of Republicans throughout
the country. The appeal had con-
vincing weight with me, for | be-
lieyc that nothing that could hap
pen in 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 par
tlsan spirit, for | am not one Of those
who think that this result would
necessarily increase the probability
Of the continuance In power of the
Republican party. The solidity Of the
South. while it has assured to the
Democratic party a certain number
of congressman and a certain number
of electoral votes, has In a meas
ure furnished its own antidote by re-
stralnng many voters in the North
who might have left the Republican
party but for what they regard as
the injustice and danger of Southern
political conditions.
Disfranchisement of the Negro.
The South has been kept solid by
by stirring up racial prejudices and
arOusIng unfounded alarm over an
impossible return of reconstruction
days. After long struggle, the his
tory of which | shall not repeat. the
negro : vote was made to count fol
nothing IN the Southern States Their
the political leaders Of the dominant
party came to realize the dreadful de
morallZatIon of all society that fol
lowed III a government If law was
fouted. and fraud was to constitute
It's basis. They cast about to make
the law square with the existing con
dlton by property and educationa
qualifications which should exclude
the negro. They adopted amend
menlS 10 State constitutions. with the
so-cHIled grandfather cIauSes,'' in
tended to apply the new qualification:
to the negro. and not to apply then
10 the whites. 1t is impossible t,
frame a law establishing an educa
tlonal qualification for suffrage whicl
Will stand the test of the fifteenth
amendment, and which will not ulti
mateiv operate, no matter what tn,
qualification or present effect, to ex
clude importially the negroes ant
whites from the ballot who lack edu
catIonal requirement. Government i
established to secure the greatest goot
for the greatest number A popula
government attains this end. becaust
1t is undoubtedly true that in the lon!
run the rights and happiness of ever,
person and every class are much more
likely to be secure and safety guard
ed by the laws Of the country an,
enforced by the executive. if the vote
OF every person or class is given an op
portumty to be heard in the adoption
OF the laws or the selection of tn
executive. This view. however. i
predlcated on the premise that til
person or class of persons who's
rights are to be protected by thei
own vote have sufficient information
and power Of intellectual decision t
enable them to learn and decide wha
Their rights and real interest are. an,
how they ought to be protected
When class of persons is so ignol
ant and so subject to oppression an
misleading that they are merely DC
hhcaI children, not having the mer
tai statute Of manhood, then thei
voice IN the government secures n
benefit to them. A policy, ther.
fore. III the South. which exclude
from the ballot impartially both th
black and white, when ignorant an
irresponsible, cannot be criticised
Coneeding that the laws now in fore
In this State and orther parts Of th
South were intended, either by the
terms or by their mode of execution
to exclude the ignorant colored vote
from the franchises with rigor, an
TO allow the ignorant white vote
though equally untitled for the fral
eh1se, to exercise it, [ do not thin
this makes a hopeless situation fc
the colored man or the political pov
er that he may, in the future, exc
else.