The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1908-01-28
THE RACE ISSUE
Discussed Before the Members
of the General Assembly.
MORE WHITE PEOPLE.

Needed in this State.-Sees in This
the Only Solution of the Race
Observation-Disclosures of 1895
Was But a Temporary Subterfugc
Which Must Loose Efficiency
Favors immigration.
Before several hundred people
Senator B. R. Tillman Thursday
night delivered in the State capitol
an address on immigration as it af-
fects the race question. He spoke in
responce to an invitation from the
general assembly. The address last
ed not quite two hours and was
closely followed by those present.
His. utterances on the immigration
question are perhaps his first from a
platform in this State and were
therefore Of particular interest to the
members.
On the race problem the senator
touched. arguing in the main for a
repeal Of the 18th amendment of the
constitution Of the United States,
but his main argument was that
South Carolina needs more settlers
of the right sort, the kind authori-
zed in the act creating the depart
ment Of agriculture, commerce and
immigration, and the only way to
get these settlers is by advertising
the advantages of South Carolina
plan now being used in the West,
where there are also many advan-
tages, where wages are higher and
where the negro is not met in COM
petion.
Senator Tillman anaylized the re-
suit of his lectures in the North, told
of the disappearance of sectional
feeling and closed with strong plea
for more education of the whites,
calling attention to the growing eX-
tent of the education of the negroes,
pointing out the fact that the con-
stitution Of 1895 was only a tenn
porary remedy and emphasizing the
growing danger of the use Of the
educated negro for political purpos-
es.
After being introduced by Lieut..
Gov Mcleod he expressed his graft
fcations on account of the invita-
ton and declared chat he would try
to comply with its terms. He be-
lieves the discussion of immigration
and the race question to be so close
ly interviewer that one can not be
handled without the other.
There is still a wide divergence of
opinion on the race question, but he
is not disposed to quarrel with those
who differed with him. He is will
ing to debate his views with any one,
however, because he believes he is
right.
He is now three score years of age
AMI he had found that young men
wto were infants in the days of
Ha anpton, Gary ana 1876 are under
taking to lay down rules of con-
duct on the subject.
Sees q Crisis.
He believes that the most dread
full crisis is ahead of us and claimed
that he could prove it to an intelli-
gent audience. Some have said there
is no race problem; that it was solv-
nI 1,Jy tho nnnpnrfinn ~ 1QQS. 10 +
the negroes are now quiet, why stir
it up? These very men were oppos-
ed to this convention and as II was
one of those who advocated the con-
vention I have right to speak and
show that everything is not quiet. "
1t is true that the new constitution
disqualified many negroes and that
the government is now conducted by
white men, but his analysis Of con-
ditions is that despite the education
al and suffrage qualifications, the
expedient is only temporary, not a
remedy but the best that could be
done at the time. Therefore he want
ed to warn the people that the terms
of the constitution requiring a man
to read and write or pay taxes on
$500 of property before he could
vote, might react. The report from
every county showed that more ne
groes were going to school than
white children. There are more of
them.
He reviewed the work Of the con-
stitutional convention of 1868, which
he said was attended by three-four-
tbs negroes and nearly all the car
petbaggers. The people seemed to
forget the negro rule Of eight long
years that followed. OF course this
can not return, but something worse
can. The school attendance by the
negroes shows that, at our expense,
they are now getting the ability to
read and write and can comply with
the requirements Of the constitution.
He was not one to object to their
education, but how long would it be
before enough of them can read and
write to equa! the white vote and
then balance the power? He was
not objecting to the negro schools;
he wanted to emphasize this, but
they are here.
The 14th and 18th amendments
are staring us in the face and the
Southern people are manacled to
them With the millions of dollars