The Muskogee cimeter. [volume] (Muskogee, Indian Territory, Okla.) 1901-19??, 1908-10-23

Mr. BRYAN if the latter would make
public his views on any OF seven pro
posals Mr.. Keenan's offer was as iol-
lows:
l. State if YOU approve in gen
eral way the course OF southern sen
timent on the race question, as lndl-
Gated by constitutional and legislative
enactments on the suffrage question
respecting franchise, ana If you would
approve a change in the national con
stitution so that this program could
be said to Dc within and not without
the constitution.
If you approve this course of your
southern allies will support you for
having the courage to say so; if you
do not approve this course of the
solid south" and will say Sc, | will
support you for having the courage to
tell them wherein they are wrong.
The thirteenth amndment to the
federal constitution abolished slavery;
the fourteenth gave civil rights to the
freed people; the fifteenth prohibited
suffrage on disqualification on account
Of race.
2. If you believe these amendments
incorrectly prescribe the political and
civil rights Of the Negro race, and will
indicate the errCr, | will support YOU
for having the courage of your con-
victiOns to speak on the subject. On
: the other hand, if you believe that
these amendments correctly define the
civil and political rights Of the Negro
race: then will support YOU for hav-
, ing the courage to say so.
.. If YOU will give your approval
' to Oklahoma senate bill No. l, de-
claring that the immediate safety and
: peace of the state of oklahoma de-
I penGs upon separating the Negro FROM
! the white man and the Indian in
railroad waiting rooms ana passenger
I coaches, then | will support you pro-
4 vidded you will have the courage at
| the same time to say why you never
thought il necessary to advocate the
: Jim Grow" railroad laws and separate
y schools in your own state OF Nebraska.
o T. If YOU believe there is a Negro
5 issue in the south. and define what
u that issue is so that there may be a
+ moderately fair understanding of the
II issue, then | will support you tor hav-
q Ing the courage you may have in such
n a task.
" .. If you will make clear thai
there is any national political issue
on the Negro question, pointing out
!! where the northern and southern
e democrats are united, and that this
y issue is opposed to a like ISSUE of the
y republicans, then | will vote Tor you
ie for your discernmenC in being abl,
ID to find such an issue in national poll
y tics. On the other hand, If there is
/ no defined issue between the parties
IS marking living and distinct nationa
Is policy, and you will tell your southeri
iL adherents that such is the case | vii
J. support you for this act Of courageou
" candor.
n 6. If You will come to the soutl
- and make speeches 10 the negroes OF
or the issues Of political economics or
YOU will have published addresse
III along the line Of your Interview, ap
rs the question Of the tariff. for example
X pealng to the negro for his support o
L and will circulate these political docll
III ments, among the colored race, to in
IL lluence his vote by appealing to hi
o. intelligence as we'll as his patriotism
hS then ] will vote for you for THIS az
n OF high devotion to duty.
K 7. Men like Senator Tillman, VIII
lot say that the Negro has no r!Ght TO an
ia franchise, and that TO conToi th
cd Negro it is necessary to use the shot
lat gun, the bull whip, and the education
nj and grandfather restriction, an
MS that when these fail other means wi
ne be invented to prevent the negro frol
ey voting, certainly must be facing a
M issue that requires the use Of sue
~ measures. If not, theareattemptiI
lid to overthrow aggressive and on
spoken leaders of the south, repre-
an sentative. and not exceptional, a.
his -. - lho,,.,. 90 o,,,. 80