The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1908-07-04
THE LOUISIANA SETTLEMENT.
An Admirable Statement of the Attitude
of the Republican Party Towards

An Admirable Statement of the AGtftud
of the Republican Party Towards
the Negro.
The New York Tribune, which i
generally regarded as the leading Re
publican newspaper OF the United
States, says:
In it's settlement of the contests from
Louisiana the Republican nationa
committee used sound judgment. Th'
issue involved was exceptional, anG
besides the technical question of primo
facie regularity an important question
of party policy was involved. There
can be little doubt that the W armott
faction represented majority of the
actual Republican voters in Louisiana
and had better prima faefe title thar
the Cohenites. But the charge was
made, apparently with some founda'
ton, that the W armoth org aniZatioE
had been seeking to draw the color
line, and In state campaigns, at least,
had attempted to limit it's membership
| to white voters. The recent Warmoth
| state convention partly disproved the
/ charge by eleuting some negroes as
delegates to Chicago, but the impress
I sion was not entirely dispelled that the
so-called Lilly Whites intended to
make their faction white man IS party
| The national committee felt impelled
to protest this year, as it protested in
race discrimin alton. It is not in ac-
cordance with Republican tradition or
| principle to deny membership in the
party to any qualified voter on
grounds of race or color. No such
denial has occurred in any other state
than Louisiana, and even there the
fact of denial was only inferentially
estab lished. i, Yet it is clear that the
principle is one which should not be
relaxed by Republican national con.
vention. All qualified voters should
stand on the same level, so far as their
right to enroll and act as Republicans
is concerned, no matter what their
color or nativity. We do not think
that the Republican party should or
ever will countenance arbitrary dis.
ordinations by state organization
against any class of legally qualified
electors. It.is not, of course, within
the province of the national organize
ton to say who shall and who shall
not help to elect delegates TO the Re-
publican convention. The states fix
their own qualifications for the suf-
frage, and the laws of different states
differ widely. Women take part in
primaries and conventions in a few
states, while in most they have no
voice at all. Here in New York no
one can vote directly or indirectly for
delegates to the national convention
who is not an elector and has not en-
rolled himself Republican. All states
are entitled to equal treatment, and it
would BE- as foolish to argue that the
national organization should see to it
that in southern states persons not
qualified for the suffrage and not exer-
cising it should have the right to take |
part in naming delegates to a Repub-
lican national convention as it would |
be to contend that the party authorities |
should see to it that Repub licans who |
had neglected to enroll and register
should vote in our New York pri-
maries, So far as the negro has
ceased to be a voter in the southern
states he has undoubtedly lost his right
TO participate in party action. But
in so far as he qualities under state
laws he is entitled to participate, and
1t is indefensible TO try to exclude him
On account of his color. This, we think,
is the attitude-and the very sem
'ible attitude-of the Republican lead
9rs in most of the southern states.
They do not want to discrimin ate
IS ainst the negro as such, but they
lightly insist that he shall enjoy the
anne treatment at the south as at the
North and shall qualify as a voter be-
ore he exercises the privileges of a
7oter. The national committee has
'rrapged to reorganize the party in
and to abolish all racial
determinations. That reorg anization
an be best accomplished by laying
Iown the same rule of eligibility for
blacks and whites, combining party ac- ,
ion to actual electors and compelling
hose electors to apply the principle ,
j. majority rule.