Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-12-08

NEW YORK. December S.-Standing
beneath a snowy stalk Of tar heel cottoh'
entwined with bough of North Carohna
pine at the dinner of the North caro-
lima Society last night at the Hotel AS
tor William H. Taft, the next Presl-
dent. told 800 cheering southerners that
he hoped, before his four years in the
White House expired, to see the south
once more politically Independent.
Through the operation of suffrage laws,
entirely I'm harmony with the Constitu-
lion, he declared 1t was possible to re-
move all possibility of political domino
ton of the south by an ignorant elector-
ate. either white or black: and with this
chief reason for the political solidity OF
the south removed he saw no reason
Ter the south longer remaining solid.
SO many notable southerners have per-
haps never assembled at dinner in this
city. Walter III. Page. president of the
North Carolina Society and member
OF President Roosevelt's commission for
uplifting the farmers, presided.
Greeted With Cheers.
Mr. Taft was cheered for five minutes
when he arose to speak at the end OF
the dinner. and though his audience
was entirely from states which voted
for his opponent for President he was
received with all the enthusiasm that
might have been shown to the candi-
date who got their votes.
Emphasizing every word with Wig
otous swing of his ponderous arm. the
next President told the southerners that
the south did not exercise the influence In
national affairs that it was entitled to
nave.
Mr. Taft took up the race question.
and by his declaration that suffrage laws
should be equally administered, as be-
tween black and white, aroused great en-
thusiasm. BY inference. however, he
approved the laws, which have been
adopted making an educational qualifica-
lion for voters.
Tribute to North Carolina.
After paying a tribute to North Caro-
Ina which he said presented an admir-
able type of present conditions in the
south the public spirit of its citizens.
progress of its industries and the charm
ing companonship which the northerner
always found there, Mr.. Taft pointed out
that the laws were made for both the
north and the south. and that the func-
-ions of the government extended from
the Canadian border to the Gulf of Mex
leo. and then led up to this question:
What is is that sets the south apart,
and takes from the southern people the
republic ought to share in respect to the
conduct of the national government?
why is it," Mr.. Taft continued that
what is done at Washington seems to be
the work of the north and the west. and
not of the south? Should this state of
affairs continue? These are the questions
that force themselves on those of us con-
cerned with the government, and who are
most anxious to have solid. united
country of whose will the course of the
government shall be an intelligent inter-
probation and expression.
> Eliminating the Ignorant.
II am not going to rehearse the pain
full history of reconstruction or what fol-
lowed IT, ! come at once to the present
sopdition of things. stated from a consti-
tiltional and political standpoint. And
t!Ist is this: That in all southern states
il il possible. by election laws prescribing
power qualifications for the suffrage
which square with the fifteenth amend
nnent and which shall be equally admin
istcred 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. II is turtle,
true that the sooner such laws when
adopted are applied with exact equality
and Justice TO the two races the better
for the moral tone of the state and com
munity concerned
Negroes should be given an oppor-
tunity equally with whites. by educa-
toe and thrift. TO meet the requirements
Of eligibility which the state legislatures