The Montana plaindealer. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1906-1911, 1908-04-17

that onhuences a man to stand
pyramid on its base and not on It
apex. That Is, I judge his attitud.
toward the race by his course a.
viewed i'm the lagrc sense rather thar
bv one incident, which could dehnlt
civ be pronounce as born OF rae,
prejudice only by that great readet
Of hearts. the Christ, who has solemn
Iy warned MS against going behinC
the returns. and saying what is in F.;
mans heart. Judge not lest We be
Judged. For with what measure "
metc it shall be measured unto yor
again
Secretary Taft.
/ shall now express my views con-
corning Secretary TAFT:
To begin with he comes of old
abolition stock, and the Traditional
attitude of his family has been one~oi
cordial friendship for the colored
people. :
His course in Cuba and the Philip
pine Island shows that lie is a believer
in the rights of the dark races.
He believes in the fifteenth Am
cndment to the Constitution and has
said over and over again that the
suffrage laws should apply equally
to both races.
Such mistakes as the colored peo-
pie made in the early days in voting
he sought in some Southern speeches
70 explain philosophically, and to
show that they were errors out OF
which the colorcd people could grow.
This was done to offset the claim Of
those Southern whites who hold
that reconstruction experiences
should serve as an eternal bar. These
efforts of Secretary Taft to trace to
The Republican City Convention
held this week nominated the fol-
:leHon Su!MoI
natural causes any shortcomings of
the race as voters, have been seized
upon by his enemies as indications
that he does not believe in equality
of citizenship.
But | challenge any one to produce
a speech on the race question where
in Mr.. Taft has not declared for
equality OF citizenship.
As the Republican Party of the
North seems hopelessly divided on
the question Of federal Interference
with Southern elections Secretary
TAFT believes in trying moral suas-
ion, in trying to win over white men
in the South to the Northern views
OF the suffrage question.
If made President it is my earnest
Belief that he will use the whole pow
or OF his position 10 influence senti-
ment in the South favorable to the
acceptance in good faith Of the hf-
teenth amendment.
He says he is with Prof. Booker
T. Washington. On the question of
the equality of citizenship, Prof.
Washington thus expressed himself
in 4 letter to the Constitutional Con
v~cntion OF Louisiana:
Since the war, no state has had
such an opportunity to settle for all
the race question, so far as it
concerns pOlitice, as is now given
IN Louisiana. VIII your convention
set an example to the world in this
'espect?'
Il want to suggest that no state in
South can make a law that will
provide an opportunity or tempta-
ion for an ignorant white mar to
-ote, and withhold the same oppor-
unity from the ignorant colored man,
without injuring both men. No state
make a law that can thus be ex-
cuted, without dwarfng for all times
he morals of the white men in the
south. Any law controlling the
.olot, that is not absolutely just and
air to both races will work more
ornament injury to the whites than
he blacks 3
The Negro does not object to an
ducation or property test, but let
he law be so clear that no one cloth
d with state authority will be tempt
d to p%rejure and degrade himself,
y putting one Interpretation upon it
Or the white man and another for the
lack man *
While | do not persume to advise
on, yet it is in my heart to say that
your convention would do some
hing that would prevent for all
inc strained relations between the
races, and would settle perman-
ntly the matter of political relations
one state in the South at least, let
he very best educational opportunity
e provided for both races; and add
o this theenactment of an election
aw that shall be incapable of unjust
ccrimiOation at the cau7a tiu,a pr,