The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1907-01-26
SATURDAY, JANUARY %. 1907.
Why Not Drop the so.caIIed Race Issue?

Why Not Drop the So-caIled Race Issue?
Senator Patterson. during the Browns
Vile debate. remarked that in the next
Congress there would he but two Demo-
cratic Senators from the North. He
thought this circumstance was indicative
ut an Increased intensity Of sectionalism,
which was not likely to be diminished
by the propaganda Of such men as Sena-
tor Tillman. Gov. Vardaman. and Hoke
Smith. having for its purpose the CONVEX
sion of the whole country TO their views
on the race question. Mr.. PatteTsOn's
view has evoked the commentator of the
Florida Times-Union, which says;
From the STATES formerly cassed as the Solid
South i've Republicans viii sit in the next Senate.
Twelve, years ago every Southern Senator but one
a Democrat and from other States fourteen
Democrats and three Populis,s sat in the Senate.
This loss cannot be accounted for By Democratic
division in 1886. for it is continuing to grow larger
We believe Senator Patterson is right In attribut-
ing 1t IN part TO the fact that Southern extremists
insist haUnting the race issue constantly in the
face Of the country"
We do not agree with this interpreta-
ton Of the causes of Republican ascend
ency in the Senate, for the replacement
Of Democratic Senators with Republicans
has been brought about by causes quite
apart from the race question We do not
recall a single Senatorial election in the
North where the race question was in
volved, even remotely; and, as everybody
knows. the national elections of recent
years have not been determined by any
question growing out Of the civil war or
the events following the war. Nor have
these elections been influenced by the
legislation Of Southern States tending 10
disfranchise the negro and TO enforce
the separation of the races in public con
vcyanCes. In fact, it may be said that
outside Of the South the race question
has no weight in Federal elections. From
the political point Of view il cannot be
regarded as a national question. No
statesman Of any consequence in the pre-
dominant party seriously proposes any
Federal legislation to disturb OF alter the
status Of the blacks in any part Of the
country. No new national policy affect
ing the negro population is proposed
Party platforms are all but silent respect
ing the alleged wrongs Of the negro. He
is on the same footing. legally speaking.
as other citizens He must look to the
States for the protection Of his rights
and the promotion Of his welfare We
are not aware that there is disposition
in any quarter to invade the province of
State rights in this matter What the
States have done TO solve the race ques-
ton in their own way cannot be undone
10y national authority. and there is an in
"rcasing spirit of aCquiescenCe every
where in the practical wisdom and sub
stanaaI justice of legislation which at
first was sharply and bitterly questioned
by Northern idealists
it Is a matter of surprise, therefore,
that extremists should insist. to use the
language of our Florida contemporary,
on Haunting the race question constant
" in the face of the country" There
are those, Of course. who think it can be
made a national issue. Senator Patter-
son gives warning that such an issue
would not appeal TO Northern Demo
Gratis. John Sharp Williams has ex-
pressed himself to the same effect. and
has said that for his part, he would be
entirely content with the present state of
affairs. We have reason to believe that
Mr.. Williams stands for the best thought
of the South on this phase of the subject.
Then why not drop the race issue out of
national politics and keep it within the
boundaries Of those States whose con-
Germs are vitality affected by it?
We would fain believe that the South
iE not becoming more sectional as to the
race question or any political issue; that.
in fact, it is becoming less and less sec
tional. and that the country Is rapidly
approaching a national view of all cues
tons affecting the welfare Of the whole
country, and of every part of it. The
support given by the South to the impor-
tant features Of President Roosevelt s
policy is significant we think, Of waning
secti0nalism. Strict adherence TO the old
political traditions of the South would
have Justified opposition 10 the great
legislative measures with which the
Roosevelt administration is identified, but
instead we find that practical statesman
ship has won the day over political
theory, and that the Southern people will
not consent to a negative attitude toward
constructive national policy. And we are
convinced that the national influence Of
Southern statesmen would be greatly en-
HANGED # the race question were confined
to the States, where. in the present pos
ture Of affairs. it belongs. and where it
can be dealt with by competent hands.