Rocky Ford enterprise., 1908-09-18
TRYING TO HOOD
Wink NEGROES
Democrats Pursuing Their Usual
Double Faced Policy.
Upholding Disfranohisement In the
South While Forming oolorsd
Bryan Clubs In west
fFren he Baltimore Sun, Dsn.)

(Fren he Baltimore Sun, Dsn.)
General Winfield q. Hancock, who
was the Dsnosratis nominee for Prssi-
lsat u 1850. declared ths tariR was
pSindpAlly 4 local Qusstion"-that IL
b say. . Psnnylvsaia Dsmoerst might
- q Destso<joAist for protsetion's SAKE.
whi,s . Dsnossat h Georgia Or tn
tSwa aisA4 holA fast 10 ths doctrine
4 . tariR ~ rsvs.ss an,y. TAs kasss-
shSsstss DsoeRat naighk ~ . tree
trader vfthsst sssssvstloa of ~ kind,
While ~ wsst Virginia Democrat
DigAt - q f.ss tFeAsr ssly with r.
Osst - sepnsditiss which were not
tRoduesl bv his sws Stat& General
Aaneock's pssnouncsmsat was oonsid-
sesA an inSsaioss evasion Of the tariff
issue. but II I'D not produce harmony
In the Dsnoerat3s party. and the ssn-
ssal was defeated.
Twsnty-sight years have passed since
General Hancock defined the tarin as
. local question upon which the Demo
erats Of each State were free to act
with regard chiefly to local interests
The principle which he then formu-
lated seems to have been adopted by
Democrats In the West In respect to
the relation Of the Democratic party
to the negro. Last week the West vir-
ginIa Democratic convention embodied
In its platform planks demanding GER
tain qualifications for voters, designed
to disfranchIse many negroes. Their
platform also contains a declaration In
favor Of separate coaches for white
and negro passengers on railroads. The
West virginia Democrats not only re-
fuse to hold out the olive branch to
the negro and invite him into their
fold, but they are determined to limit
his political activity by dlsfranoh,s-
ing law and to bring him under the
operation Of q "Jim Grow" law when he
travels on the railroads Of that State.
What are the Promisssf
Out in Nebraska and In Kansas the
Democratic campaign managers are
oFganisinG negro voters iuto Bryan
clubs. In Ohio no effort will be spared
10 secure the support Of the nes.o
voters for the Democratic national
uakst What pledges have been given
and what Inducements have bccn Of
fsrcd does not appear. But II ~ fair
Inference that the managers have
promised to do "somsthing 70: the ne
gro," perhaps to recognize him In the
distribution Of Offices. II Mr.. Bryan
should be elected. and also to take
such action as the negroes may de-
mand In respect to the reinstatement
Of the negro battalion dismissed from
the army by President Roosevelt for
the attack on Brownsville. Last week
when the West virginia Democrats
were declaring for disfranchiselnen
Inv and for a Jim Crow law. the
Democratic convention in the Twelfth
Congressional district Of Ohio adopted
Q platform favoring "the enactment
Of laws which shall accord to all men
accused OF wrongdolng. whether SOL
diers or civilians. a fair and impartial
trial and an opportunity to be heard
before conviction or punishment
This apparently refers to the Browns
VILE Incident II may also have
broader meaning and a more extended
application and may bs susceptible Of
an Interpretation which will make
Southern Democrats open their eyes
with amaxement and possibly with ap-
prehens!on.
Race Question Local Issuef"
There seems to he no ground for rea-
souable doubt that the Democratic
campaign managers In the West, in the
syaFt to secure negro --1pport for their
National ticket. are acting upon the
priuciple that the race question is only
a local issue" II 10 evident that the
South does not approve this plan Of
campaign. but is powerless to check it
The Democracy OF the South is in full
accord with the position taken by the
West Virginia Democrats last week.
And yet II is assumed by those who
are trying to get negroes to support
Mr.. Bryan that the South will act In
hearty cooperation with the Ohio, Ne
braska. Kansas and Illinois Democrats.
who are welcoming the negro into free
fellowship In the Democratic party
and probably promising TO annul the
decision OF President Roosevelt in the
Brownsville matter. The theory Of
Western Democrats that the race prob
lem is merely local issue IL calcu-
lated to give the South much concern.
Many Democrats In that section may
question whether IT Is worth while TO