Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1907-08-23
rAEr OF THE SOLID SOUTH.

Secretary of War Taft yesterday
opened the republican campaign in
Lexington, KY, with discussion oi
the race problem, general political Issues
from the southern standpoint and an
appeal to Kentuckians to aid the repub-
lican party in supporting those princi-
Piles. Calling attention to what hf
called the South's lack Of representation
in the councils of the nation, he de-
clsred that this was true "beeause one
single issue has made 1t the perpetual
tail OF the democratic party, 80 that,
however small the northern head, ii
wsgs that tail. The South has per-
mitted the shadow of an issue that cir
cumstances ought long ago to have re-
moved to bind it to the democratic party
no matter what principles or candidates
that party adopts"
He called attention to the prosperity
of Kentncky's industries and agriculture
and expressed the belief that many Ken
tuckians who favored protective tariff
had blindly voted the democratic ticket
because of feeling on the race issue.
Then, taking up the race question, he
said:
81 know that the discussion by a
northern man of the question is apt to
rouse from the southern democrat the
objection that he does not understand
the question; that he does not know the
difficulties OF it, and that il he cannot
take it up with sympathy, with the atti-
tude of the white man of the south, he
had better not take it up at all. On the
other hand, he is liable to encounter the
criticism Of the colored man, who, with
a natural tensitiyeness, remembering The
wrongs and expressions to which their
race had been subjected, reseuts any at
titude which does not involve condemns-
tion of the southern white man or which
manifesis the slightest consideration for
his view. am not pessimist with re-
spect to the race question. l am con-
vinced that it is working Itself out, and
| am convinced that nothing has SO
much contributed to its gradual solution
as he thirteenth, fourteenth and ff-
teenth amendments"
"The negro is necessary to the south
as laborer-skilled and unskilled. The
world over today there is demand for
abor, and were the negro to be with
drawn from the south the difficulties
under which agriculture would labor can
hardly be overstated. The negro is an
American. He has no other country
than this, and, called upon to defend it,
he lays down his life with the same free
dom that the white man sacrifices his.
His best friend-the one that can dc
most for him, and the one, in many re-
spects, who sympathizes with him mos
is the southern white man. He un
derstands his defects. He knows hi
virtues.
"The fifteenth amendment does no
require that every negro should vote. AL
that 1t requires is that he should not b.
excluded from voting because he is ne
gro. Ifhe lacks educational qualification
property qualifications or any other quail
| icatious that the State may lawfully i'm
pose as a rule of eligibility for its voters
| then he may be excluded, provided tha
every one else who lacks similar qusliti
cations is equally excluded. The fiteenI
amendment is merely intended to secur
him in his political rights from race dis
elimination by the States. 1t is not in
tended to give him affirmative privilege
as q member of his race. Its strict ell
forcement does not involve an smalgams
ton of the races; has nothing to do wit
social association or equality. 1t does M
Involve 50 called negro denominatio
and to permit the question at this lat
day-40 years after the war-to contrC
the votes of intelligent men in respect
issues that are living is to indicate lac
of sense Of proportion, which, csnnt
think. will continue to manifest itself
the South.
eff only under the influence of Pres
dent Roosevelts administration some
the southern States, including Kentucky
could be led into the republican colum
| in accordance with the real sympathit
of the voters of those States, 1t would
] a crowning glory of his administration
] As an American citizeu and lover OF m
= country l long for the time when II
e South shall be received again into Il
s councils of the nation and when tt
o people of that section shall resume tt
influence to which they are emitted an
which they deny themselves by bein
, frightened at mere ghost of the past.
Nefohhors Got Fooled