The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-02-11
Secretary Receives Ovation At
 Kansas Ciy
APPEAL FOR SOUTHERN VOTE
Negro is Brought Into Discussion and Declaration Made That Repubi- cans Must Work to Break
 the Solid South.

Kansas City, February 10-William H.
 Taft, Secretary of War. was given
 memorable ovation by a large throng
 In Convention hall tonight, where he was
 the principal speaker at the most elab-
 crate banquet ever attempted in this city. It was given by the Association of Young Republicans of Missouri, and
 attended by 1900 persons. from Nebraska.
 Kansas, Oklahoma and distant Missouri cities
 Secretary Tafts speech was general
 defense of the republican party. Secretary Taft read his speech from
 manuscript. Referring to the act of the supreme court of the United States in
 declaring unconstitutional the employers liability law, he said it was the 'bung- ling language" of the law that was re- sponsible for the decision. In commend
 ing the special message of the President,
 urging the enactment of new employers liability law, the secretary said the rec concentrations were in line with the best legislation of European countries on the
 same subject.
 Eulogizing Lincoln, Secretary Taft said he was a party man, "as all men must be who expect to leave their individual
 impress on the political character of the
 nation.
 Though a party has it's platform, and
 on the faith of it has been elected to
 power, many issues may unexpectedly
 arise not controlled by the partys de- clared principles. The disposition of such l issues must depend on the ability and courage of the party leaders, Secretary Taft spoke of the three war amendments of the constitution, the 1 thirteenth, fourteenth and fifteenth. The operation of the fifteenth amendment.
 that which forbade any state to deprive
 the negro of his vote, on account of his
 color ar previous condition of servitude, had fietrssi3e Satassbe as successful as
 that of the thirteenth and the fourteenth. l The leaders of the south had in many
 states. however, cast about to make the
 law square with the existing conditions 1 by property and educational qualifica- l tions which should exclude most of the
 negro vote
 Turn for the Better. This very desire" said the speaker,
 Ito avoid the violent methods which were
 wont to overcome the colored vote in
 the south, itself indicates turn for the
 better. It is said with truth, that these
 election laws are intended to be enforced l by means of the discretion vested in election officers, so to exclude the in- l eligible colored men with rigor and to
 allow the ineligible whites, who ought l also be excluded, to the injury of the 1 franchise. Deplorable as this is, still lsthe union is by no means a hopeless one for the southern negro and the power he may in the future exercise.
 'The greatest friend the southern negro l Is likely to have is the broad minded | southern white man who sympathizes Iswith the colored man and knows his lsvaiue to the south. Nor is 1t unreason- able to hope that men who have already I sought to come within the law and avoid violence, will ultimately see the wisdom | aud righteousness of the equal enforce sment of the law of eligibility and lyagainst white and black
 Secretary Taft said that he was coni- | dent that in the end the 15th amendment,
 Twill prove to be a bulwark equally bene- l ficial with that of the 18th and 14th 1 amendments to an unfortunate, down. trodden, struggling race"
 1 Various Policies.
 | Secretary Taft enumerated the various l policies of the party in the past and said 1 that only twice. lin all that remarkable history of 4s years. have we lost the con l fdence of the people of the United States l to the point of their turning over the I government to a democratic executive. l By reason of circumstances l need
 not detaif,'' he continued "the infu- lfence of the republican party has been 1 little felt south of Mason and Dixon's 1 line. It is through Maryland. West Vir- ginia, Kentucky, Missouri. the republican party has been often in the majority, but in the other southern states a contest has seemed hopeless. The time has come, in my Judgment, when 1t Is the duty of our party to make an earnest effort to win to our support the many southerners who 1 think with us on every living national is-
 sue and have only been kept from our | ranks by the ghost of the past" | Secretary Taft referred to abuses that had been practiced by corporations and declared that conviction seized the peo- :! pie that there were many engaged in i the management of corporate wealth who l regarded the statutes as dead letters and l themselves privileged class. ] We were passing into regime of an | lrfcSpOHsiple plutOcfdcy, ne salu, auulnS.
 Moral Awakening.
 1 During the last four years there has | been great moral awakening to this | danger among the people and popular demand that the law-breakers-no mat ter how wealthy or how high or power | full their position-shall be made to suf- 1 fer Under the leadership of Theodore Roosevelt, the republican party has not 1 faltered in Its determination to meet the l requirements of the situation and to en-
 act such legislation as may be necessary | to bring to close this period of illegiti-
 mate corporate immunity"
 I Secretary Taft spoke of the recent l panic and of President Roosevelt's spe- | cial message to Congress.
 l "The message contains an answer to l the charges made that the administra- l ton is responsible for the industrial de- pression which has followed, the sharp l ness and emphasis with which this un I founded attack is met have heartened
 the great body of the people as by a 1 --~~~~>~~~~-~>~~~~- ~~-~~~~~-~~~~>---s~~~ tCONTINUED ON PAGE 3.)