Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1908-05-15
ii becomes wing OF the present par

il becomes a wing OF the present par
tisan Democracy.
Now may We expect that this mon
Strosity will pass away on March :
next. Secretary Taft Is pledged I"
permit the negro vote to lie suppress
ed. The Ohio convention which pre-
scented him for the Presidential nomi-
nation adopted Il resolution as follows:
"'Belieying as we do that this
marvellous progress in intelligence, in
dustry. and good citizenship has earn
ed the respect and encouragement OF
the nat ion, and that those Legislative
enactments that have for thir real aim
his disfranchisement for reasons OF
color alone are unfair un-American,
and repugnan, to the supreme law or
the land, we favor the reduction OF
representative in Congress and the
electoral college IN all States OF this
Union where white and cOlored citi-
zens are DISTINGUISHED. to the end
that the fourteenth amendment to the
Constitution of the United States
NAV he enforced according to It's let
ter and spirit"
Calls II Deceitfui Trick.
THE above resolution Is no less
deadly because II is a deceitful trick.
1t is like the clause in the New York
constitution which boldly fOrbids race
track gambling coupled with the law
which the legislature passed reiter-
ating the prohibition. but providing
that there shall be no penalty for the
crime excep, that the man who loses
a bet may sue the winner II he can ind
him. and recover the money.
ITO destroy this cunning evasion OF
the constitution. Gov. Hughes has tax
en- ND arms against the gamblers and
the Taft men, who seek to continue
, the gambling and to destroy the gov
ernor as a Presidential candidate.
Mark the like plausible trickery OF
the Ohio resolution. 1t praises the
negro and condemns his disfranchise
ment. Then does it declare that Tart
will fight TO enforce the fifteenth
amendment. which guarantees him the
right Of suffrage? BY no means. IT
only says that the fourteenth amend
ment shall be enforced and that repre-
sentation in Congress and in the
electoral college shall be reduced
where white and colored citizens are
DISTINGUISHED.
What good will this procedure do
the DISTINGUISHED colOred people? II
they are DISTINGUISHED. what do they
care whether the Northern States pro-
tect themselves against the unfair
power the Southern whites will con-
! tinue to retain by reason Of the ex-
istence of the negro voters who are
driven from the polls by violence and
by Southern notification. in destruct-
ion Of the fifteenth amendment. which
pledges the nations faith that Con-
gress will pass laws to enforce their
rights of suffrage?
Out upon such a false pretense as
the Ohio resolution. 1t is a white
mans resolution, and not one for the
benefit of the negro, whose progress
in intelligence, industry. and good
citizenship it so highly but so decep-
lively. praises. To have been frank
and fair the Taft managers should
! have added to their resolution the Re
publican party to enforce the fifteenth
amendment and this shall remain OBJ
! solete.
That is what they meant when
they ommitted to add and We pledge
ourselves also TO endeavor to secure
the enforcement Of the fifteenth
| amendment
1T will be useless to deny that
Secretary Tafts platform as to the
negro is an abandonment OF the
fifteenth amendment. II he Is nomf-
mated and elected. the two amend
! ments will. in substance, read as be-
low, with the clauses in parentheses
added to the present language.
1.-THE Fourteenth Amendment.
Article IA. Where the right to
vote is denied to citizens Or In any
way abridged Zen account OF race
| color, or otherwise) except for crime
the basis Of representation in any
election shall be reduced in the pro-
norton which such citizen shall bear
TO the whole number Of citizens.
| CONGRESS shall have power to en-.
force this article by appropriate legfs
latiOn.
"The Fifteenth Amendment. ;
Article Is. The right OF citizens to
! vote shall not be denied or abridged
by the United States or 10 any State
on account of race or color Except
where the basis Of representation has
been reduced under the fourteenth
amendment). The Congress shall
have power to enforce this article by
appropriate legislation.
l &c N MT n SPriO,ls oue,tiOn for the