Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-12-08
TAFT URGES THE SOUTH
TO BE POLITICALLY FREE
Hopes to Strengthen the Movement to Obliterate
Sectional Lines, Leaving Only Friendly
Emulation for Country's Benefit.

in their wisdom shall lay down in order
to secure the safe exercise of the cleo
toral franchise. The negro should ask
nothing other than an equal chance to
qualify himself for the franchise. and
when that is granted by law and not
denied by executive discrimination, he
has nothing to complain OF.
THE proposal to repeal the fifteenth
amendment is utterly impracticable and
should be relegated to the limbo of for
is something practical. something that
means attainable progress. 1t seems to
me to follow, therefore that there is
or ought to be common ground upon
which we can all stand in respect to the
race question in the south and it's politi-
cal bearing, that takes away any justif-
cation for maintaining the continued
soiid1ty of the south to prevent the So
called negro domination.
The fear that in some way Or other
a social equality between the races shall
be enforced by law or brought about by
political measures really has no fOunda-
ton, except in the. imagination of those
who fear such a result The federal gov
eminent has nothing to do with social
equality.
Solidarity Of the South.
With the elimination of the race ques-
ton can we say that there are removed
all the reasons why the people of the
south are reluctant to give up their
political solidity and divide themselves on
party lines In accordance with their
economic and political views? No: there
are other reasons, perhaps, only reasons
Of sentiment, but with the southern peo-
pie. who are "A high-strung, sensitive and
OutskOpen people, considerations of sen
timent are frequently quite as strong
as those of some political or economic
character.
I'm the first place, it is now nearly
forty years since the south acquired its
political solidarity, and the intensity OF
feeling by which 1t was maintained aud
the ostracism and social prescription i'm
posed on those white sOutherners who
did not sympathize with the necessity for
such solidarity could not but make last
ing impression. and create a permanent
bias that would naturally outlast the rea-
son for its original existence
Mr. Taft referred to the trials of the
reconstruction perio., which accumulated
the greater trials of the past, and dwelt
upon the present prosperity of the south,
quoting figures to illustrate. He con-
tinued:
Southern Discomfort.
Again, the democratic party has not
preserved inviolate it's tradil onal doc
trines to states rights and otHte' is
sues. and has for the time adopted new
doctrines of possibly doubtful economic
truth and wisdom. Southern men, ad-
herring to the party and the name, find
themselves, through the influence Of ira
ditiOn and the fear of a restoration of
conditions which are now Impossible,
supporting a platform and candidate 81
whose political and economic theories
they distrust Under these conditions
there was sn the last campaign, and the e
is throughout the south among many OF
its most intelligent citizens an i'm
patience. nervousness and II restless
ness in voting one ticket and rejoicing
IN the success of another.
Now ] am not one of those who are
disposed To- criticise or emhasiZe the in
consistency of the position in which these
gentlemen find themselves. | believe il
would be wiser if all who sympa thize
with one party and its principles were 10
vote its ticket but l can readily under
stand the weight and inertia of the tradi-
ton and the social considerations that
make them hesitate.
II believe that the movement away
from political solidity has started and
ought to be encouraged, and l thin X
one way to encourage II IS to have the
south understand that the attitude of
the north and the republican party
toward it is not one of hostility or criti-
cism or opposition. politically or other
fise; that the north yearns for closer
association with the south: that its citi-
gems deprecate that reserve on the sub
ject of politics which 50 long has been
maintained in the otherwise delightful
social relations between southe ners and
northerners as they are more and more
frequently thrown together.
I'm welcoming to change of party