The broad ax. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1895-19??, 1908-06-13
LET SOUTHERN REPRESENTA-
TON ALONE

Il is most unfortunate tnat GET
tain class of politicians feel called
upon at convenient intervals to TO
ment race strife and discomfort by
idle threats Of Federal regulation OF
Southern political conditions. 1t Is our
belief thet such propositions are sci
dom. il ever made in good faith they
being nothing but plays to retain the
guuible and unthinking Negro vote.
We have said over and over, and con-
Time 10 say. that no man in his sober
senses expects OF desires the Federal
Government, at this late day. to In
sny way attempt the political coercion
of the Southern States. Nor do the
slaring injustiees of Southern polite
Al conditions change in one iota this
proposition. The sum of the situation
is that the day when anything SAVIOR
ing OF radical or coercive measures on
the part OF this government respect
ing Southern conditions has long
since passed, possibly never to return
When it comes to a mere question OF
Negro suffrage, past experience pro-
claims with emphasis that no Federal
law seeking to uphold the same would
ever be enforced except at the point
Of the bayonet. There ought to be
none so idle as TO suppose that any
such policy win ever be instituted In
defence OF the abstract rights Of Ne
groes. But, of course. little or no TAX
is now being INDUCED in with refer
ence to procuring for Negroes the
franchise Of which they have been so
systematically robbed. the proposition
OF late years being to reduce Southern
representation in the Electoral College
and in the National House Of Rep
resentatives in proportion as Southern
States deprive Negroes Of their Con-
stitutional right to vote.
When a bin to this effect was re-
Gently introduced in Congress, the
Hon. John Sharp williams admirably
summed up the situation, and tesely
stated the position of the radical ele-
ment Of southern people. when he de-
elsred that the South is quite ready
70 have her representation reduced II
the country is ready TO have disfran-
ohisement thus legaliEed on the basis
Of color. And this Crumpaeker bill
means nothing more-than that an
element Of Southern people are TO pay
in reduced representation for their
cherished dream of @legally" disfran-
chising their Negro citizens. For All
this, there are Negroes who are re-
garded as intelligent who not ouIy
countenance, but insistently demand
the enactment Of National law which
would mean their wholesale disfran-
chisement, not on the bases Of eduea-
ton, property OF ancestry, subter-
fuges which the South has hitherto
been forced to employ. but upon the
bold and glarfng basis of color alone.
II universal Suffrage. for the Negro as
well as for other citizens. is the ideal
toward which this Nation Is striving.
and this none who believe in Dem
ocratic government can dispute. any
such a measure as the crumpaeker
bin win be a gigantic stride IN the OBJ
posite direction No Just OF in any
way desirable change win ever come
over Southern political conditions ex-
cept through education. an awakened
public conscience and the vital power
Of public opinion, coupled with that
economic freedom for Negroes
Throughout the country which win
make It no longer necessary for them
to accept any civil or political indig-
nifty OF any section because such
section is the only one which ahords
them an opportunity to work for
living. n those persons North and
South vho actually desire q righteous
adjustment Of these conditions would
grasp the facs that THE l. the real
situation to Be met, and cease 30 much
idle and incehdiary talk Of force
BHl- and redection Of representation.
much needless race ana sectional feel
Ing would be srerted. sane and set
tIed policy Of dealing or rather re-
franins from dealing With Negro suf-
frses a the sonfh would Be reached.