The Lee County journal. (Leesburg, Ga.) 1904-19??, 1909-02-19

SCACLtCNs we div d11 II 1dNO1 u udF-
ing it built as promptly as possible.
We must not now, therefore, keep
up a fire in the rear of the agents
whom we have authorized to do our
work on the Isthmus. We must
hold up their hands, and speaking
for the incoming Administration, I
wish to say that propose to DEVOTE
all the energy possible and under
my control, to the pushing Of This
work on the plans which have been
adopted, and to stand behind the men
who are doing faithful hard work
to bring about the early completion
of this, the greatest constructive en-
terprise Of modern times.
Our Dependencies.
The government Of our dependen-
cies in Porto Rico and the Philip
pines are progressing as favorably
as could be desired. The prosperity
of Porto Rico continues undated
The business conditions in the Phil
ippines are not all that we could
wish them to be, but with the pas
sage of the new tariff bill permitting
free trade between the United States
and the Archipelago, with such limi-
tations in sugar and tobacco as shall
prevent injury to the domestic in
terests on those products, we can
count on an improvement in business
conditions in the Philippines and the
development of a mutually profitable
trade between this country and the
Islands.
Position Towards the South
look forward with. hope to in
creasing the already good feeling be-
tween the South and the other sec
lions of THE country. My chief pur-
pose is not to effect change in the
electoral vote Of the Southern States.
That is secondary consideration,
What / look forward to is an in
crease in the tolerance of political
views of all kinds and their advo-
cacy throughout the South, and the
existence Of respectable political
opposition in every State; even more
than this, to an increased feeling on
the part Of all the people in the
South that this Government is their
Government, and that its officers in
their States are their officers.
The South and the Negro.
The consideration Of this question
cannot, however, be complete and
full without reference to the negro
race, its progress and its present
condition. The 18th Amendment Sc
cured them freedom; the 18th
Amendment due process of law, pro-
lection of property and the pursuit
of happiness; and the 18th Amend
ment attempted to secure the negro
against any deprivation Of the priv
ilege to vote, because he was a ne
gro. The 18th and 18th Amendments
have been generally enforced and
have secured the objects for which
tney were intended While the 18th
Amendment has not been generally
observed in the past, it ought to be
observed and the tendency of South
ern legislation today is toward the
enactment of electoral qualifications
which shall square with that amend
ment. The danger Of the con-
| troll Of an ignorant electorate has
therefore passed. With this change
the interest which many Of the Sou
thern white citizens take in the well
fare of the negroes has increased.
There was time when North
erners who sympathized with
the negro in his necessary
struggle for better conditions
sought to give him the suffrage as a
protection, and to enforce its exer-
else against the prevailing sentiment
/ of the South. The movement proved
to be a failure. What remains is
the 18th Amendment to the Consti-
tuition and the right to have statutes
of States specifying qualifications for
electors subjected to the test of com
phance with that amendment. This
is a great protection to the negro.
It never will be repealed, and it
never ought to be repealed. If it had
not been passed, it might be difficult
now to adopt it; but with it in our
fundamental law, the policy of South
ern legislation must and will tend to
obey it, and so long as the statutes
of the States meet the test of this
amendment and are not otherwise
in conflict with the constitution and
laws Of the United States, it is not
the disposition or within the pro-
vince of the Federal Government to
interfere with the regulation by Sou
thern States Of their domestic affairs.
| There is in the South a stronger feel
ing than ever among the intelligent,
l AeH TODD and influential element in