The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1907-08-29
Urged to Climb Into Repub-
Iican Band Wagon b. Taft.
is UNDER BLACK SHADOW
War Secretary and Presidential Candi-
date CpeHs Republican State Cam
paien in Kentucky at
Lexington.

lem and of general political issues, and
with an appeal to kentuchians and
other southern men to come to the aid
of the republican party in support
Of those principles, which he believed
they favored, Secretary Of War Taft,
Thursday, orened the republican state
campaign in Kentucky at Lexing-
ton. Calling attention to what he call
ed the south's lack OF representation,
in the councils of the nation, he de-
clared that this was true because one
single issue has made it the perpetual
tail Of the democratic party, so that,
however small the northern head it
wags that tail.
The south has permitted the shad-
ows of an issue that circumstance
ought long ago to have removed from
political controversy to bind it solidly
to the democratic party, no matter
what principles or candidates that par
ty has adopted"
lie called attention TO the pres 2erity
of Kentucky, its developing industries
and agricultural wealth, and express
ed the belief that Kentuckians who
favored a protective tarif had blindly
voted the democratic ticket because Of
the feeling of the race issue.
Then, taking up The race question,
he said:
Il am not a pessimist with respect
to the race question. I am convinced
that it is working itself out, and I am
convinced that nothing has so much
contributed to its gradual solution as
the thirteenth, fourteenth and fifteenth
amendments
After mentioning the various means
of disfranchising voters, declaring that
such laws .w;re proper if applied with
equal fairness to both white and black,
he expressed the hope that the colored
citizens, under the leadership Of such
men as Booker T. Washington, would
become respected business men Of
communities in which they live. The
secretary continued:
"And when they exercise indeCend-
ence of judgment in respect to politi-
cal issues we may be sure that grad.
ually the right to vote will be accorded
them, and they will exercise a far
more useful influence as intelligent and
solid members of the community for
the benefit Of their race than the ig-
ncrant membe.s Of their race would
have exercised had they been allowed
lo vote. In this way through devious
ways, which cannot be justified or
approved, We may still reach g result
that will square with the requirement
Of the federal constitution, and will
give to the negro every political and
economic right, and will confer great
benefit upon the colored race.
THE negro is necessary to the south
as a laborer, skilled and unskilled.
Were the negro to be withdrawn from
the south, the difficulties agriculture
would labor under can hardly be over
stated. TIE negro is an American, he
has no other country than this and
can have no other country than this,
and when called upon to d;fsnd It
lays down his life with the same free
dom that the white man sacrifices his.
It is our duty to see to it that his
path is made as easy as We can and
that his progress is as incessant as
proper encouragement can make it. His
best friends-the one that can do most
for him and the one IN many respects
who sympathizes with him most-ls
who sympathizes with him most-ls
the southern white man.