The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1909-03-04
With such limitations in sugar and TO- :

| domestic interests on those products
we can count on an improvement in
| business conditions in the Philippines
and the development of a mu tally
| profitable trade between this country
and the islands Meantime our gov
| eminent in each dependency is up
holding the traditions of civil liberty
| and increasing popular control which
might be expected under American au-
| spices. The work which We are doing
here rebounds TO our credit as a ma
ton.
| Praise Accorded Progress
Made by the Negro Race.
l look forward with hope to increas-
ing the already good feeling between
the south and the other sections of
the country. My chief purpose is not
TO effect change in the electoral vote
| OF the southern states. That is a sec
ondary consideration. What | look for
ward to is an increase in the tolerance
| OF political views Of all kinds and their
| advocacy 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 govern
ment, and that its officers in their
states are their officers
The consideration of this question
cannot, however, be complete and full
without reference 10 the negro race,
its progress and its present condition.
! The 18th amendment secured them
| freedom; the 14th amendment due
| process of law, protection of property
| and the pursuit of happiness; and the
10th amendment attempted to secure
the negro against any deprivation of
| the privilege to vote, because he was
a negro. The 18th and 14th amend
ments have been generally enforced
and have secured the objects for
| which they were intended. While the
18th amendment has not been gener-
ally observed in the past, it ought TO
be observed and the tendency of
southern legislation today is toward
| the enactment of electoral qualifica-
lions which shall square with that
| vi COuISt, luP mere
adoption of a constitutional law is
only one step in the right direction.
| 1t must be fairly and justly enforced
as well. In time both will come
| Hence il is clear to all that the dom
| nation of an ignorant, irresponsible
element can be prevented by consti-
tutional laws which shall exclude from
|
having education or other quaIifica-
| tons thought to be necessary for
| proper electorate. The danger of the
| control of an ignorant electorate has
| therefore passed. With this change
the interest which many of the south
ern white citizens take in the welfare
| Of the negroes has increased The
| colored man must base their hope on
the results Of their own industry, self
| restraint, thrift and business success.
as we'll as upon the aid and comfort
and sympathy which they may receive
| from their white neighbors OF the
| south. There was a time when north
| erners who sympathzed with the ne
| gro in his necessary struggle for bet
| ter conditions sought to give to him
| the suffrage as a protection. and to
| enforce its exercise against the pre-
vailing sentiment of the south. The
movement proved to be failure
| What remains is the 18th amendment
| to the constitution and the right to
have statutes of states specifying
| qualifications for electors subjected to
| the test OF compliance with that
| amendment. This is a great protec.
ton to the negro. 1t will never be re
| pealed. and il never ought TO be re-
| pealed. If it had not been PASSED. it
might be difficult now to adopt it: but
| with il in our fundamental law, the
| policy o. southern legislation must and
will tend 10 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 consti.
| tuition and laws OF the United States
| it Is not the disposition or within the
| province of the federal government to
| interfere with the regulation by south
ern states OF their domestic affairs
| There is in the south a stronger feel
| ing than ever among the intelligent.
wsll-to-do and influential element in
| favor of the industrial education OF
| the negro and the encouragement of
| the race TO make themselves useful
members of the community. The
| progress which the negro has made in
| the last so years from slavery, when
| its statistics are reviewed is marvel
Gus. and it furnishes every reason to
| hope that in the next Is years a still
greater improvement in his condition
| as a productive member of society, on
the farm, and in the shop and in other
occupations, may come. The negroes
are now Americans Their ancestors
came here years ago against their
win, and this is their only country
and their only flag They have shown
| themselves anxious TO live for it and
willing to die for It, Encountering
| the race feeling against them. sub
| jected at times to cruel injustice grow
ing out of It, they may well have our
| profound sympathy and aid in the
| struggle they are making We are
charged with the sacred duty OF max
ing their path as smooth and easy
as we can. Any recognition of their