The Washington herald., 1907-08-24
SATURDAY. AUGUST "a 1907.
Taft's Appeal to the South.

To break the "Solid South" has been
the dream of more than one Republican
statesman. Secretary Taft would like to
Go it. TOO. for patriotic as well as partisan
reasons. His plea is that the Republican
party best represents the views Of many
Southern voters, and that they should not
allow mere ghost of the past" 70
frighten them into voting solidly for
Democratic policies and candidates in
spite of their disapproval OF both. The
ghost Of the past" is. of course the fear
Of negro domination of Southern govern
ments. which has vanished with the prac-
teal exclusion of the negro from all par
ticipatiOn in the business Of government.
Mr. Taft does not wholly approve the
method by which this result was accom-
plished- He does not think the political
privileges secured to the colored man by
the fifteenth amendment involve negro
domination, and looks for d time when
the negro will be more generally accorded
the ballot by reason of his intelligence,
industrial worth. and independence Of
judgment in respect to political issues.
Notwithstanding the devious ways,
whic,. ,---qot be justified or approved"
Of the Southern disfranchisement laws.
Alr. Taft is convinced that the South
may still reach a result that viii square
with the requirements of the Federal
Constitution and viii give to the negro
every political and economic right"
Senator Foraker wanted to know what
Mr. Taft thought ought to be done TO
correct the denial 10 the negro Of his con-
stituuonaI rights Of citizenship by such
statutes as that recently enacted in
Georgia. While Mr.. Taft made no direct
reply to this inquiry. it may be inferred
from the tenor Of his remarks that he
would do nothing beyond expressing an
academic disapprovaI Of discriminatory
disfranchisement. He would trust 10 the
forces uplifting the race TO bring about
conditions which will make the ballot
safe in the hands Of the negro. Those
conditions are not so far distant as may
be thought, for in number of the South
eTn states the qualifications for suffrage
are alike for both races, and In others
they tend year by year to approximate
the requirements Of the Federal Constitu-
tion. The new Georgia legislation is con-
sidered the most drastic IN its elimination
Of the negro vote Of any Of the disfran-
chisement laws. but even in Georgia no
negro can be deprived Of the ballot who
owns property valued for taxation at 500
Mr.. Taft is quite right in assuming that
this matter may be trusted to work itself
out, and that without Federal interfer-
ence.
The Secretary's appeal 10 the South viii
naturally be received in that section with
various feelings. The South may be solid
on election day, but its people are not all
Of one mind, even on political questions
Mr.. Taft tries 10 thrust a wedge between
the South and the Presidential aspirations
Of Mr.. Bryan, which are not warmly sec
onded in some portions Of Dixie, and he
also appeals 10 Southern protection senti-
ment. a somewhat curious attitude for a
prOfessed tariff revisionist, really amount
ing to a pledge that Southern industries
shall not suffer in any future tariff bill
There is, Of course, considerable senti-
ment IN the South for protection, and
against Bryan. but it is doubtful if that
sentiment can be made use of to turn a
single Southern State into the Republican
column The real sympathies of many
Southern voters, as Mr., Taft believes,
may be with Republican policies, but local
influences are yet too strong 10 allow the
hope Of any such consummation as he de-
voutly wishes.