The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-12-08
DISFRANCHISEMENT OF
 THE NEGRO IS DISCUSSED
Annual Dinner of North Carolina
 Society.
Mir. Taft Urged the Voters of the south to Break Away From the Tra- ditions of Their Past
 Political AfaIl-
 aGIamm.

william H. Taft who. came I'd Nssc aVFk today 10 address the North care. ma Society of this city. was given a IunluItuous reception tonight by the HIempers or the organization and hv gas gs0.insht men from all parts of the Soutn' at the annual dinner of tha North CsTolinians at the Hotel Astar
 fIVe hundred members and ruests of the society filled the brilliantly dec orated banquet hall, which was redoi. ent or the pines of the Tar Heel state the cones and branches of the resinous trees forming the background for moro fragrant bloom. which were scattered everywhere over snowy linens and nag afaped walls. Intertwined ensiRnE of the State and Nation were consnle,,. ous in the decorations of the balonet nail and larger flags were displayed iu front of the hotel throughout the dav and evening.
 MT. Taft, in the course of an ad- dress which was confined entirely tS the South and it's problems, urged again that the voters of the South shouid break away from the outIived sentiment and traditions of their nast political affiliations and cast their bal. lots in accordance rather with their economic and real political beliefs.
 Mir. Taft decared that nothing wouIa give him greater pride during his com. ing term In the chief executive ofice than to so direct the policy of the Na. ttonai Government with respect to ths Southern States as to convince the ir.- teiligent citizens oi the sonth of ths desire of his administration to afs them in working out satisfactorily the serious problems before them and of bringing them and their Northern fei. low citizens closer and closer in sym. pathy and point of view.
 At the N cry one of his pointed sentences MT Taft was interrupted by applause and cheering. He frankly expressed him. self regarding tlIe s0-ealled lfenrr question and declared that neither hs nor the Republican Party had any fdes Of forcing upon the people of the South fhe dominance of an ignorant ciass Mr. Taft quoted statistics to show thai the industries of the South had grown and prospered more during the past decade than any other sections of the country. As to- the negro. Mir Taft said he should neither ask nor receiva more than an equal chance to qualify himself for franchise.
 Other speakers at the banquet were President W. W. Finley of the South ern Railway Company; I. Y. Joyners State Superintendent of Public In- struction of North Carolina: pr. 10. seph H. billiard. of New Orleans. and Junius W. Parker of New York. Among the more prominent guests were Clark Howell of Atlanta. Ga: Henry W. Taft. brother of the Presi. dent-elect: President Nicholas Murray Butler of Columbia University: Consul General Midzuno of Japan; Dr. H. B. Frissell. of Hampton Institute
 MT. Taft spoke last, and when he arose to respond as the guest of honor or the evening. the diners stood and cheered for several minutes. Mir. Taft reached the city at 1 o'clock from Hot Springs. He spent the afternoon at the home of his brother. Henry ". Taft, and while there was in consuIta- ton with a number of friends and po- litieal callers Mfr. Taft leaves early tomorrow for Washington.
 Mir. TRft's Speech.
 o,;ar After paying tribute to North Car admira ble type of present condition h the south. the public spirit Of it's citi- zens; progress of it's industries and the Charming companionship which the Northerner always found there, the speaker pointed out that the laws were made for the North and South and the functions of the Government extended from the Canadian border to the Gulf of Mexico and led up to this question,
 what Is it that sets the South apart and takes from the Southern people the responsibilities which the members of a republic ought to share in respect to the conduct of the National Govern ment?"
 Re continued: Why is It that what the work of the North and West and not of the South? should this state ',sstIsdr or ssirs sS1tingsl t. These are the those of us concerned with the Gov- ernment and who are most anxious to have solid united country. of whose will. the course of the Govern ment shall be an intelligent interpre- tatton and expression.
 We can answer these questions aK the historian would, and we can ex- plain the situation as It Is. but do not think we can justify or excuse a continuance of It. Looking back into the past, of course. the explanation the other two sections was in she institution of slavery. It Is of no purpose to point out that early North was as responsible for bringing slaves here as the South because ws are not concerned with whose fault 1t was that there was such an institu- with the probability that had the North erners been interested in slaves ey would have viewed the institution and would have fought to defend 1t, because 1t was sacred as the inetitu- uon of private property itself. It does not help in the slightest degree in the
 
 tn controversy of the past by attempt ing to fix blame on one part of the country or the other in respect to an institution which has gone.
 T am not going to rehearse the painful story of reconstruction. or what followed It. I come at once to the present condition Of things stated from a constitutional and political standpoint. And that is this: That in all Southern States, 1t is possible by hcations for the suffrage, which square with the Fifteenth Amendment and wh ich shall be equally administered as between the black and white races, to prevent entirely the possibility of a of Southern State county or municipal government. by an ignor- ant electorate. white or black. It is when adopted are applied with exact and justice to the two races, the better for the moral tone of the State and community concerned Ne groes should be given an opportunitV