Oxford eagle. (Oxford, Lafayette Co., Miss.) 1876-current, 1908-08-27
CAUGHT BY TIE SPCILS OF
OFETCE.

that one General Luke T.. Wright,
an eX-Confederate soldier. once
a white-liued Southern democrat.
is 10 make speeches in the sta,e
of Tennessee in the interest Of
the candidacy Of Judge Taft for
president. If politics makes
strange bed fellows. political life
is potential in its influence upon
the human mind in the matter OF
political creeds. General Luke
h. Wright made a gallant Con-
federate soldier, and is the som
in-law OF one Of the most Illus
trious men developed by the
war between the states-Admiral
Semmes. During the dark days
of reconstruction, | am told that
General Wright performed splen-
did service to the people OF the
South in driving from our midst
the carpet-bagger. the scalawag
and the negro politicians. II is
scarcely possible at hat time that
General Wright ever imagined
that his present political interests
would lead him to turn his back
upon the people whom he was
then serving. But things have
changed. as al! things change
here. Theodore Roosevelt has
given Luke Wright some import
ant official stations. He was one
of the Philippine commissioners,
afterwards Minister to Japan.
now Secretary OF war. Those
are important olfIces-ca,culated
to tempt a vain and ambitious
man. knew General Wright
was capable Of performing the
functions Of these places, but
had no idea that the honors thus
conferred would cause him 10
change his political affiliations
and turn his back upon the peo-
PIE Of the South, to whom he is
indebted for whatever GOOD there
is in him. II is announced in the
public press tina; General Wright
Is 20 open the campaign in Ten
nessee for the Republican Ma
tional ticket. He is going 20 ask
the white people Of Tennessee to
vote for William Tat for presi-
dent-the man who has said that
ii he should be elected president.
he viii use all the power which
that great Office confers to force
the Southern people 10 permit
the negroes TO exercise the right
Of suffrage. 1t means returning
u the rule Of the carpet-bagger.
or worse, the vicious, educated
negroes of the South. II the 18th
fith and 10Th amendments to the
federal constitution shall be car
ried out, literally. as Taft pro-
poses, in his speech CT acceptance
10 do, there is not a home in Mis-
sissippi that will be safe from the
invasion OF the black brute.
Three-fourths Of the political Of
fees, from Governor and United
States Senator down to constable.
would be filled by negroes.
Some one may say that Taft
does not mean 10 do that-that
what he said on the subject was
mere political expediency. If
that be true. then Secretary TAFT
Is Il liar, and he IS trying to OBJ
tain the negro vote under false
pretensas, and is, therefore, unfit
not only for president, but for
any other Office within the gift OF
the American people. And Cen
eral Luke Wright or any other
self-respecting white man Of the
south cannot afford to support
him. It is always a melancholy
reflection to ne to be disappoint-
ed in a man in whose integrity
and patriotism and manhood /
have reposed the confidence and
maintained the admiration that
have for General Wright. The
democrats of Tennessee should
see to it that the largest majority
ever given the national demo-
cratic ticket shall be given to the
ticket Of Bryan and Kern this
year.They ought to spurn with
contempt and contumeIy the re-
quest Of General Wright and put
the brand Of condemnation uDon
politicians Of his class. The peo-
pie OF that state caanot afford to
give their approval to a man
whose political creed or attitude
to his government is determined
by opportunities for elf-ageran-
dlzement or who can be corrupt
ed by the spoils Of Office. X.
Nardaman in The Issue.