The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1908-12-10
HIS VIEWS ON THE NEGRO
The Fear Of Social Equality Of the Ne.
groes Unfounded. Asserts Presi.
dentElect North Carolinans
Cheered His Speech

dress the North Carolina society OF
this city. lie received a tumuluous re-.
coption from the members of the or.
ganizatIon and leaders from all parts
of the south at the annual dinner OF
the North Carolinans at the Hotel
Astor Five hundred members and
guests OF the society flcl the ban.
quet hall
Mr. Taft in the course of an ad.
dress which was confined entirely to
the south and its problems. did not
hesitate TO follow up what he regard ,
as the advantages of his trip through
the south I'm the recent political cam.
paign, ami urged again that the vot.
ors of that section should break away
! from the outlived sentiment and tradi.
tons Of their past political affiliations
and cast their ballots in accordance
rather with their economic and real
/ political beliefs.
In the last decade" said Nr. Taft
I'm common with all lovers Of our
country have watched with delight
and thanksgiving the bond of union
. between the two sections grow drm.
er. pray that it may be given to me
to strengthen this movement. 20 oblit.
crate all sectional lines and leave
nothing of difference between the
north and south save friendly emu.
lation for the benefit OF our common
country
At the conclusion of practically ev.
cry one of his pointed sentences. Mr.
TAFT was interrupted by applause and
cheering He frankly expressed him.
self regarding the so called negro
question: and said that neither he
nor the republican party had any iiea
OF forcing upon the people of the
south the dominance of an ignorant
class. In beginning his speech Mr.
Taft said:
Il am not going TO rehearse the
painful history OF reconstruction or
/ what followed IT, | come at once 10
/ the present condition of things. stated
from constitutional and political
/ standpoint AMI that is this: That in
1 all southern states It is possible by
! election laws prescribing proper quail.
| iications, for the suffrage. which
square with the Fifteenth amendment
and shall be equally administered as
between the black and white races
/ 10 prevent entirely the possibility of
l a domination of southern state. county
| or municipal governments by an ig.
/ norant electorate, white or black II
is further 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 ana community concerned.
Negroes should be given an oppor.
/ tunity equally with whites, by educa-
ton and thrift, to meet the require.
ments of eligibility which the state
| legislatures i'm their wisdom shall lay
/ down in order to secure the safe exer.
else of the electoral franchise. The
/ negro should ask nothing other than
/ an equal chance to qualify himself for
/ the franchise, and when that is grant.
/ ed by law and not denied by executive
/ discrimination, he has nothing to com
/ plain Of. The proposal to repeal the
/ Fifteenth amendment is utterly i'm
. practicable and should be relegated
| TO the limbo Of forgotten issues.
/ What we are considering is some
thing practical, something that means
attalnable progress, It seems 10 me to
, follow, therefore, that there is. or
I ought TO be, a common ground on
/ which We can all stand In respect 10
the race question in the south, ami it's
/ political bearing that takes away any
/ justification for maintaining the CON
4 tinued soidty OF the south to prevent
the so-called negro domination.
lHt rear that IN some way or other
social equality between the races
Shall be enforced by law or brought
about by political measures really has
no foundation except in the imagina.
tion OF those who fear such a result.
The federal government has nothing
TO do with social equality. The war
amendments do not declare in afyor of
social equality. All that the law or
constitution attempt to secure Is
equality Of opportunity before the law
ana in the pursuit Of happiness, and
IN the enjoyment of life liberty and
property Social equality is something