The Winchester news. [volume] (Winchester, Ky.) 1908-19??, 1908-12-09
WANTS SECTION
Line ABOLISHED
President=EIect TAFT Talks
To SouthernerS.
DISCUSSES RACE PROBLEM

Progress of South and Advocates
Education as Means of Correcting
Evils-Advocates Laws Prescribing
Qualification For Suffrage In Line
With Fifteenth Amendment to Pre-
vent Domination.
New York, Dec. .-President-elect
William H. Taft was the guest of
honor at the banquet of the North
Carolina society of New York.
After paying a tribute to North
Carolina, which he said presented an
admirable type of present conditions
In the south; the public spirit of its
citizens; progress of it's industries
and the charming companionship
which the northerner> always found
there, the speaker pointed out that
the laws were made for the north
and south and the functions of the
government extended from the Cana
dian border to the Gulf of Mexico,
and led up to this question: What
Is it that sets the south apart and
takes from the southern people the
responsibilities which the members
Of republic ought to share in re-
spect to the conduct of the national
government? He continued:
~Why is it that what is done at
Washington seems to be the work of
the north and west, and not of the
south? Should this state of affairs
continue? These are the questions
that force themselves ON those of us
concerned with the government, and
who are most anxious to have a SOL
I'd, united country, Of whose will the
course Of the government shall be an
intelligent Interpretation and express
sion.
I'VE can not answer these ques-
tions as the historian would and we
can not explain the situation as it is;
but / don't think we can justify or
excuse continuance of it. Looking
back into the past, of course, the ex-
PLANTATION of the difference between
the south and other two sections was
In the institution of slavery. 1t is of
no purpose to point out that early in
the history Of the country the north
was as responsible for bringing
slaves here as the south, because we
are not concerned with whose fault
ft was that there was such an insti-
tuition as slavery.
Il am not going to rehearse the
painful history of reconstruction or
what followed it. 1 come at once to
the present condition of things, stat
cd from a constitutional and political
standpoint. And that is this: That
IN all southern states it is possible,
BY election laws prescribing proper
qualification for the suffrage which
square with the fifteenth amendment
and which shall be equally admins
tered as between the black and white
races, to prevent entirely the posi-
bility of a domination of southern
state, county or municipal govern
ment by an ignorant electorate, white
or black"
Mr.. Taft referred to the trials OF
the reconstruction period, which ac-
centuated the trials of the past, and
slow return of prosperity to the
south following the civil strife, as
further agencies that helped to keep
alive the feeling engendered by that
controversy, and quoted statistics to
show the marvellous growth in the
agricultural resources and manufac-
turing industries of the south.
Continuing, he said: "The Demo
cratic party has not preserved invio-
late its traditional doctrine as to
states rights and other issues, and
has for the time adopted new doc
trines of possibly doubtful economic
truth and wisdom. Southern men ad-
herring to the party and the name
find themselves through the influence
of tradition and the fear Of restora-
ton of conditions which are now i'm
possible, supporting a platform and
candidate whose political and eco
nomic theories they distrust Under
these conditions there was in the last
campaign and there is today through
out the south, among many of its
most influential citizens, an impa-
thence, a nervousness and a restless
ness in voting for one ticket and in
rejoicing in the success Of another
Nov I am not one Of those who
are disposed to criticise or emphasize
the Inconsistency of the position in
which these gentlemen find them
selves. / believe it would be wiser
II all who sympathize with one party
and its principles were to vote its
ticket, but 1 can readily understand
the weight and inertia of the tradi-
tion and social consideration that
make them hesitate. I believe that
the movement away from political
solidity has started and ought to be
encouraged, and l think one way to
encourage it is to have the south
understand that the attitude of the
north and the Republican party to-
ward it is not one Of hostility or crit
icism or opposition, political or 9TH
erwise; that they believe in the
maintenance Of the fifteenth amend
A,.s 4Io4 Il