Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1908-12-11
TAFT ASKS SOUTH
TO FORGET STRIFE
POLITICAL TRADITIONS HINDER
GROWTH OF COMMERCE IN
DIXIE LAND.
DANGER OF NEGRO RULE PAST.
Declares Blacks Are Essential to Warm
States in Order That They May
Have Proper Labor.
HOPES TO LEAD THE WAY OUT.

NEW YORK, Dec S.-The oblitera-
ton of all sectional lines between the
north and the south is the most earnest
desire of President-elect Taft. In an ad-
dress at the dinner of the North Carolina
society last night Mr.. Taft declared his
administrations largest efforts would be
devoted to uniting the people of the ma
ton into one harmonious body. 1t was
time. he said, that the south forget its
sectional preJudlces and take part IN
the councils of the nation, 4 ching impos-
i slble under the present system.
Mr. Taft also had a plea to make to-
ward the granting of greater political
rights fo< the negro race. He declared
there was no wish to force the south into
accepting the social equality of the negro.
Neither is there, he said, desire ON the
part of the north to place the south I'M
der the political domination Of the blacks.
At the same time, he declared, the ig
roring or repeal of the fifteenth amend
ment to the constitution was impossible
The cure OF the present race troubles, he
said, was by legislation prescribing
proper qualifications for suffrage, applied
. to both races.
/ Work and education for the negro was
clared primary and indu.trial education
for the masses of the blacks and higher
education for their leaders would fulfill
their betterment, which already has
made great strides.
Text of Taft's Address
! After paying a tribute to North Caro-
! lima, Mr.. Taft asked:
| Why is it that what is done at Washing
! ton seems to be the work of the north and
! the west, and not of the south? Should this
! state of affairs continue? We can answer
these questions as the historian would and
| we can explain the situation as it is; but |
don't think we can justify or excuse a con-
/ tinuance of It,
| l am not going to rehearse the painful his
: tory of reconstruction or what followed it.
| | 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 cleo
ton laws prescribing proper qualifications
! for the suffrage which square with the tif-
| teenth amendment. and which shall be
equally administered as between the black
and white races, TO prevent entirely the
possibility of a domination of southern
! state, county or municipal governments by
| an ignorant electorate white or black. It is
! further true that the sooner such laws,
| when adopted, are applied with exact equal
| ity and Justice to the two races the better
for the moral tone of the state and com
! munity concerned.
Negroes should be given opportunity,
| equally with whites, By education and thrift,
! TO meet the requirements of eligibility
/ which the state legislatures in their wisdom
| shall law down in order to secure the safe
|
negro should ask nothing other than an
! equal chance to qualify himself for the
| franchise, and when that is granted by law
| and not denied by executive discrimination,
he has nothing to complain of.
Danger of Negro Rule Past.
The proposal to repeal the fifteenth
| amendment is utterly impracticable and
! should be relegated to the limbo of forgot
ten issues. 1t seems to me to follow, there
fore, that there is or ought to be common
| ground upon which we can all stand in
| respect to the race question in the south
! and it's political bearing that takes away
| any justification for maintaining the con-
! tinued solidity of the south to prevent the
so-called negro domination. The fear that
in some way or other a social equality be
| tween the races shall be enforced by law
| or brought about by political measures real
| ly has no foundation except in the magma
ton Of those who fear Ear such result IS It, I9e
social equality. Social equality is some
thing that grows out of voluntary conces-
| sions by the individuals forming society.
Mr. Taft referred to the trials of the
reconstruction period as further agencies
| that helped to keep alive the feeling en-
/ gendered by that controversy, and con-
! tinued:
But times change, and men change with
them. The growth of the south since 1890
has been marvellous. The manufacturing
capital in 1880 was $25O00O,OO0; in 1890,
$3.50 1000; in 1900, $1,15O, 100000, and in
| zoos So 1OOOOOOOO, while the value of the
manufactures increased from $45OOOO.OOO in
| 1880 to So, 600 900, 900 in 1908. The south has
| become rich, and only the surface of its
wealth has been scratched. Its growth
has exceeded that of the rest of the coun-
try and it is now in every way sharing in
| its prosperity
! Many Southrons Seek Change.
Again the Democratic party has not pre-
| served inviolate it's traditional doctrines as
to state rights and other issues, and has
for the time adopted new doctrines of pos
| sibly doubtful economic truth and wisdom.
Under these conditions there was in the
/ last campaign, and there is today through
out the south, among many of its most in
| telligent citizens, an impatience, nervous
ness, and a reStlessneSS in voting for one
ticket and in rejoicing in the success of an
| other.
/ believe that the movement away from
| political solidarity has started, and ought to
| be encouraged, and l think one way to en-
| courage it is to have the south understand
! that the attitude of the north and the Re
! publican party toward it is not one of hostil-
| ity, or criticism or opposition, political or
| otherwise; that they bt.'Ieve in the mainte-
nance of the fifteenth amendment, but that
| as already explained they do not deem that
! amendment to be Inconsistent with the
! souths obtaining and maintaining what it
regards as its political safety from DONNA
| tion of an ignorant electorate: that the
| North yearnS for closer association with the
| south: that its citizens deprecate that re-
| serve on the subject OF politics which SO
| long has been maintained in the otherwise
| delightful social relations between southern
ers and Eortherners as they are more and
| more frequently thrown together.
We believe the solution of the race ques-
| ton in the south is largely matter of in
! dustriaI and thorough education. The negro
is essential to the south in order that it may
have proper labor. AS the industries of the
| south continue 20 grow in the marvellous
| ratio already shown the demand for labor
! must increase Primary and industrial
| education for the masses, higher educate
| for the leaders Of the negro race, will make
| up a system under which their Improvement,
| which statistics show to have been most
| Noteworthy in the last forty years. will con-
| tinue at the same rate.
Hopes to Lead Way Out.
The recent election has made it probable
| L Siflln for