Potosi journal. (Potosi, Mo.) 1894-1929, 1908-09-23
TRYING TO HOOD
Wink NEGROES
Democrats Pursuing Their Usual
Doubls Faced Policy.
UNFOLDING Disfranchisement In the
South While Forming Colored
Bryan Clubs in West.
(From the Baltimore Sun, Dem.l

General Winfield s. Hancock, who
was the Democratic nominee for Presi-
dent in 1880. declared the tariff was
principally a local GIestion"-that is
tc say, Pennsylvania Democrat might
be protectionist for protection's sake,
while a Democrat III Georgia or In
Iowa might hold fast to the doctrine
OF tariff for revenue only The Massa-
chuSetts Democrat might be free
trader without reservation Of any kind,
While the West Virginia Democrat
might be free trader only with re-
spect to commodities which were not
produced by his own State. General
Hancocks pronoUEcement was consid-
cred an ingenious evasion OF the tariff
issue, but it did not produce harmony
In the nemocratic party, and the gen.
eral was defcated
Twenty-eieht years have passed since
General Hancock defined the tariff as
local question upon which the Demo-
Gratis 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 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 4 disfranchis-
ing law and to bring him under the
operation of "jiin Crow" law when he
travels On the railroads OF that State
What are The 2roInisesp
Dat In Nebraska ana IN Kansas the
De:n.,,.r;ltic ta,cna!@n Hs:i'aas"Ts #re
!z;ng negro ,;ters ;uto Bryan
cl;ii :: IL C;sio nc effort Will ba s.,Gi'el
20 secure the support of the ne-sr"
voters fo: the tInGrrAtic natitnal
ti,i;2t- What l,ir,.-,s have bee:i given
and what Inducements have been Of
fe,.;! acss not appear. E'Ht i: IS iair
inference that the .'anagaTs have
inolnis,.. 10 do ''SoAintii:,y 70 the ne
gFs," perhaps 10 recognize hilh In the
distribution of oiii ns II Mr.. Bryan
slin;ilt! be elected, and also 10 take
saci action as The negroes may de
nan,i In respect tn the reinstatement
of the negro battalion dismissed from
TIE arlny by President Roosevelt for
the attack on Brownsville. Last week
when the West Virginia Democrats
were declaring for q disfranchiscment
law and for Jim Crow law, the
Democratic convention IN the Twelfth
Congressional district Of Ohio adopted
a platform favoring the enactment
Of laws which shall accord to all men
accused of wrongdoing, whether sol
diers or civilians, fair and impartial
trial and an opportunity to be heard
before conviction or punishment"
This apparently refers to the Browns
vile incident. It may also have
broader meaning ard more extended
application and may be susceptible OF
an Interpretation which will make
Southern Democrats open their eyes
with amazement and possibly with ap-
prehension.
Race Question "Local IssueP"
There seems to be no ground for rea-
sonable doubt that the Democratic
campaign managers in the West, in the
effort to secure negro support for their
national ticket, are acting upon the
priuciple that the race question is only
"locnl issue" 1t is 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 it tg assumed by those who
are trying to get negroes to support
ME- iiSah &iidt eAe 'ooutH VIII att ili
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 a local issue is calcu-
lated to give the South much concern.
Many Democrats In that section may
question whether It is worth while to
elect a Democratic president who may
open wide the door of political oppor-
tunity to the negro.