Daily press. [volume] (Newport News, Va.) 1896-current, 1908-06-11

'IhHltht oil tditu. III ouT Sh'ou -"
csponsIbilItieS tor good government
are shared among the people, th'
states ak! the < neral government III
such Il manner that each has sum
cirni authority 10 do Ill" duties rr
quired and therefor" when special 10
cal problems arise the task Of solving
them presses first upon the locality
most concerns. d.
The Southern states have thrlI
own problems which- they desire IL
solve for the common good. II is true
also that there aye other questions
not exclusively SOuln"rn in which thr
people OF the South are concerned
equally with all citizens such, for in
stance, as the general questions Oi
the just relations between the states,
and between any state and the Hner
al gOvcrnm But even this prob
lem was made local as to the South,
m states and became acutcly sec
tional in tn" years between 1850 and
lNGl when the circumstances that Ar
rican slavery had be come an inStitn-
ton was to create Il dangerous South
crn problem. After many un.SuCccsS-
ful exp, dirniS. the states in the Snui b
fled for refuge to- Secession, and that
being denied they were forced 10
fight: and having failed in that. they
surrendered without any settlement
by negotiations or war. Hence, tn"
cid disturbing prcSenc" in our cnun-
try of a people of African descent be-
came more serious than ever because
The problem was loaded from 1868
with new and inSuppOrtable COndi-
tons. These negroes in the Southern
nothing but the power to vote and
hold Office without qualifications.
They were not offered homes any
where except in the South. and they
fell as load on the Southern people.
But the South assumed the burden:
and the assertion is here made that
no body Of people in any age OF the
world has treated this negro race with
real kindness except the people Of the
Southern states. All nations have
enSlav.tl them, and not one has train
ed them into that physical. intelligent.
moral manhOO. which is the indiSput-
able qualification of a valuable pOpu-
lation. For example consider the ne
grOes in Africa under European race.
The Southern states have over six
millions of this race to care for and
the Southern people are qualified to
execute the trust justly, ben"vOlently.
and for the general welfare. 1t is
therefore insisted that the hinde ring
intermeddling with the purposes to
righteously solve this problem shall
cease; for whatever the motive may
be, such interference is miSdirected
hurtful and often open to suspicion as
being accompanied with insincerity.
selfshness or ignorance Of Southern
conditions.
Has the Patriotic Spirit.
The mere argumt mt on certain de-
latable questions of great Importance
has been exhausted. These issues
have been ably discussed in conven-
lions like this for many years with
clsarness. trnthfulness and power by
the most eminent men of the country.
None of them need further discussion
at this hour b. fore this well informed
assembly. The South rests IFS rea-
sons and it's acts in the effort of the
states to form separate government
on the law and the testimony with abb
sOlute confidence in the justice Of its
cause The Southern people stand
upon the principles of constitutional
law. civic right. and moral duty
which ruled their actions. With pro-
found satisfaction they contemplate
their history from the first settlement
in Virginia centuries ago and their
immense contribution since then to
the greatness of our COUNTRY. With
the purest spirit of patriotism they
are yet devoting their energies to the
neral. the educational the industrial
and the financial nplift Of all the peO-
pie to those lofty civic condit ions
which alone truly 'xait nation.
This attitude of the South thus
firmly taken on questions forms rly
debatable even by war. permits in
present conditions the fair cOnces-
sion on all sides that points Of view
NAV he considered, and honest din r.
ence Of opinion may he indnlged.-
PROVIDED 'lelIHeT Sitip VIII Vo 'nf Otuft
any HARM The remark has been
prominently made in praise Of thu sol
dierv Of the Confederate and Union
armies that each fought for the right
az he saw the right This favorite
fratrrnal phrase may he accepted to
mean that honesty in opinioB.as WILL
as va'or in action may he found on
both sides. Take as illustration: that
one man could sec from his one point
e view that the saving Of the Union
Is mis- supreme obligation. while tho
other saw clearly that saving the con
Stifution was his supreme duty. hut
each NAV now 200 that there IS an
honest way 10 keep 10th the Union
and the constitution in perfect safety.
and NAV II not no urged incidentally
that as the Union Is safe from danger
~ sscr <sion. let us save the ccnStitu-
ton from tho dang ~ of perversion