The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1908-12-18
Democratic jaurnal, recently said.

Democratic journal, Recently SAID.
.what the sopih needs Is a few doaht-
full states: then il will be In q position
10 demand and get something"
Let the South at once resolve that she
will III iongrr be the tail 10 q crazy and
broken political kite. and proclaim In no
uncertain tones that she will bot again
submit to the nomination Of any man
who is mentally unfit to be President, or
whose nomination would foredoom the
party to defeat. on q platform repugnant
tn the conservative elements Of the ma
ton, South as well as Fast and West,
and fra med to appeal especi-
ally TO the discontented. radical and
even revolutionary foreign elements in
the great industrial centres OF the East
and Middle West and the mining camps
Of the Rocky Mountain States. II such
a stand be taken, and In deadly earnest,
the end will soon be achieved, and the
South will cease to be a mere cipher in
Democratic national conventions, and be
accorded that recognition and respect,
and WELD that influence which are pre-
e~minently her right. Let it be known
that, il necessary, still other Southern
States will become doubtful in national
elections, aligping themselves with
Maryland, West Virginia, Delaware and
Missouri in their policy Of protest and
revolt. II Kentucky, Tennessee, Vir-
ginia and North Carolina had gone for
Taft in the last election, the South would
have some voice in the making Of the next
Democratic platform and the naming OF
the next Democratic candidate for the
presidency. Had such been the case the
selfish Democratic politicians OF the
East and West-the Murphys the Tag
CARTS and the Sullivans-would now be
bordering a lesson that they would not
forget in a generation.
This does not mean that southern
states would cease TO be Democratic 10
stvte elections. II Ohio, Indiana, Min
nesota and North DAKOTA can give enor
nous pluralities for the Republican ma
tional ticket, yet at the same time elect
Democratic governors, surely no south
ern state should fear that 1t would be
unable to make a distinction between
national and local issues. So far as the
race question is concerned, 1t could by
a system of primaries for whites only
eliminate all tho negro vote that may
survive the disfranchisment provisions
of its constitution.
The time has passed when thoughtful
Southern white men should fear to ex-
press and vote their convictions OF ma
tional questions Of vital concern should
disfranchise themselves as citizens OF
the United States-on account Of the
presence Of the negro race. In the Ian
guage of the Atlanta Constitution,
"there remains naught of the once feared
substance of social equality and negro
domination, or effects toward them, but
a phantom boyle that lacks sufficient
form and force to scare a child" One
has but to ~acquaint himself with the de-
cisions of the Supreme Court Of the
United States on the race question dur
Ing the last twenty years and know
how much 1t means under our constitu-
tionaI system to have that mighty trI-
bunal on the side Of the South, to appre-
ciate the security that is ours in
this regard. Though strongly Republi-
car all that time, It has uniformly de-
cided such questions in favor of the
South's contention. 1t has in no in
stance held In valid the disfranchising
provisions In the constitution OF any
southern state. 1t has upheld the "Jim
Crow ear laws, and all other laws look
ing to the social separation of the races.
Only a few weeks ago It rendered a de.
cision In the Berea College Case, up
holding a statute of the State of Ken
lucky that prohibits the c~o-education
of whites and blacks In incorporated
PRIVATE schools. This Ia a very far
reaching decision. Yet the ease was
decided in favor of the State OF Ken
lucky by a vote Of seven to two In a
court consisting of six Republican and
three Democrats; and two Of these DEM
ocrats are northern men.
These decisions OF the last twenty
years have become judicial precedents,
and In all human probability will never
be disturbed. But more than this, they
are deeply significant as showing a
Of opinion among the northern
on the race question an opinion
v now rapidly spreading and cry
stallizipg into definite and final form,
and which will be reflected In the poll
cies Of future Republican presidents
and Congresses, As well as la judicial
decisions. But with the Supreme CON-
to the southern view. it would be
hard for q Republican president or con-
yress, evcn IL SO disposed, to seriously
fleet us. We have had Republican
presidents during twenty four Of the
years that have passed since
'rant went out Of Office, and Republic ,
AN congresses during the greater part
II the same period; yet nothing serious
,as been done by them In the matter Of
be race issue. Nothing serious has