The Vinita daily chieftain. [volume] (Vinita, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1902-1913, 1906-08-04
Speech of M. A. SOrreII
at Island Ford
Picnic


Ford yesterday. Mr.. Sorrell, who is
one of the best educated and most
progressive men of his race, said in
part:
The constitution is the paramount
and important issue before the new
state, which the people of Oklahoma
have to settle within the next six
months, The constitution is to the
state what the backbone is to the hui
man body. There are two great part
les the Republican and the Democrat
ic, which are struggling for the con-
trolling power in framing the consti-
tuition under which we are expecting
to live.
We cannot tell what either party
will do in the future; we can only
judge the future by the past Ifthere
have been mistakes Of governm ent in
the past, there will be mistakes of
government in the future. If there
has been partial enforcement Of the
law and equity in the past, the same
is possible for the future. If the
Democratic party has made the great
er number Of mistakes in the past
in dealing out equal justice to Ameri-
can citizens in states where Demo-
Gratis have absolute power and con-
troll, it is very certain that the Demo
cratic party will be most likely to
make the greater number of mistakes
in the future, -if they should happen
to get in power
| admit that the Republican party
is not absolutely perfect but ''if the
righteous can scarcely enter, where
will the ungodly be found?"
The second plank in the very found
tion Of the present Democratic party
means slavery and disfranchisement
to the negroes. Here is the founda-
tion Of both parties: When the Re-
publican party was formed before the
civil war it stood for: ~ The centra-
lization of power in the federal gov
ernment; ~ opposition to slavery;
(3) expansion Of territory; "a liberty
and union; { o the protective tariff.
When the present Democratic party
was formed it stood for. ~ states
rights; ~ slavery; (3l free trade.
/ tell you, my friends and fellow
citizens, the grand old Republican
party has stood by its platform, in
peace and in war, in power and out of
power, in sunshinean shadow That
is why / am Republican. / am
sorry to say that the Democrats have
stood by their platform, at least in
the southern states, where they have
absolute power and control. They
are still advocating indirect slavery
and direct disfranchisement of the
poor negro, who is acitizen under our
great national constitution. How
can you vote the Demoratic ticket? |
No American negro can be a Demo-
srat from principle. l don't care
who he is or where he is, he cannot be
/ Democrat from principle.
Under statehood the negro can no
onger look to Uncle Sam for appoint
We power Of protection. The negro
must guide and protect his own po-
itical rights. He cannot afford to
'schew politics, he must study the
;ause and effect of every issue, he
must participate in every election, he
must use his ballot, because his only
Weapon is his intelligent ballot.
The Fifteenth amendment removes
rom all the states their power to de-
rive a person of the elective fran
hise on account of race, color or
reyious condition of servitude, and
ct great many of the southern
tates have overriden the amendment
nd have legislated laws to disfran-
hise tie negro voter, not on account
+ the crimes he has committed or
lis lack Of education, but on account
mere race hatred.
The highest principles and morals
his country ever had we're possessed
y those dear old black slave mammies
nd daddies who could not read or
rite. The state Of North Carolina
as a clause in its constitution known
$ the grandfather clause, by which
negroes are disfranchised
nd illiterate white men are allowed
o vote. The state has just extended
he clause from 1908 to 1920. There
re other southern states that have
shat they call an educational clause,
y which they disfranchise the negro I