The evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1907-1908, 1907-08-23
ON THE NEGRO
SAYS SOUTHERMERSARE HIS
BEST FRIENDS.
Fifteenth Amendment to Constitutions
Not Necessarily Violated by His
Disfranchisement.

LEXINGTON, KY, Aug. 23.-Secre-
tary of War Taft yesterday afternoon
opened the Republican State campaign
with a discussion of the race problem,
general political ISSUES from the South
ern standpoint and an appeal to Ken
uckians to aid the Republican party
in support of those principles. Calling
attention to what he called the South'S
lack of representation in the councils
of the nation, he declared that this
was true because n single issue has
made it the perpetual tail of the Demo-
cratic party, so that, however small
the Northern head, it wags that tail.
The South has permitted the shadow
of an issue that circumstances ought
long ago to have removed to ! 1t
to the Democratic party, no matter
what principles or candidates that
party adopts"
He called attention to the prosperity
of Kentucky's industries and agricui-
ture, and expressed the belief that
many Kentuckians who favored a pro-
tective tariff had blindly voted the
Democratic ticket because Of feeling
on the race issue. Then, taking up the
race question, he said,
Il am not a pessimist with respect TO the
race question, am convinced tnat II u
| that nothing has so much contributeu to
Its gradual solution as the thirteenth, TOUR
teenth and fifteenth amendments
He discussed the first and second OF these
and called attention to the development 81
the people, starting with the greatest nit
eracy and ignorance until tney peeArU -
self-sustaining, giving much praise t9
Booker T.. Washington and others who mad
urged the wisdom of making the educa-
lion manual and Industrial
A ffar maintaining the VarfOuS means OF
DISTINGUISHING voters. and declaring thnt
such laws were prope II applied with
equal fairness to both white and black, he
expressed the hope that as the negro cit
zens under the leadership of such men as
Booker 7. Washington would become re-
spected business members of the
ties in which they live, and when they ex-
ercise Independence of Judgment IN respect
to political issues, we may be sure that
ed them, and they will exercise a far more
useful influence as intelligent and solid
members of the community than the igno-
rant members of their race would have
exercised had they been allowed to vote.
In this way. through devious ways
which cannot be justified or approved, we
may still reach a result that will square
With the requirements of the Federal con-
stitutlon and will give to the negro every
political and economic right. The negro Is
necessary to the South us a laborer-Skilled
and unskilled. The world over today there
is n demand for labor, and were the negro
to be withdrawn from the South the diff
tulIltS u1UeT WHICH ukTlCultuIt WOuiQ
cen 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 freedom that the white man
sacrifices lis. Ours Is the flag he loves
the only one he knows. 1t is our duty to
see to it that his path is made as Easy as
possible and that his progress is as inces-
SAINT as proper encouragement can make
Ii. His best f~riend-the one that can do
most for him and the one in many respects
who sympathizes with him most--is the
Southern white man. He understands his
defects. He knows his virtues. And II the
negro responds TO the opportunities for
Improvement, as Booker T.. Washington
points them out, we can be sure that he
will grow in the estimation of his white
fellow citizens of the South and that the
great problem which has burdened the
south will be largely solved.
The fifteenth amendment does not re-
quire that every regro should vote. All
that II requires is that he should not be
excluded from voting because he is a
negro. If he lacks educational qualified
tons, property qualifications or any other
qualifications that the State may lawfully
ers, then he may be excluded. provided
that every one else who lacks similar quail
ications is equally excluded.
The fifteenth amendment is merely In
tended to secure him in his political rights
from race discrimination by the States. 1t
is not intended to give him affirmative
privileges as a member of mis- race. Its
strict enforcement does not involve an
amalgamation Of the races; has nothing to
do with social association or equality. 1t
ton, and to permit the question at his
late day-forty years after the war-to
control the votes Of intelligent men In re-
spect to Issues that are Lying Is to indi-
lack of sense of proportion, which, l
cannot think will continue to manifest
Itself in the South