The new South-news., 1909-03-13

Inc -tH|N|AtNt'AAt VI ffA@A ~ tHN-"--
eies IN Porto Riro and the Philip
pines are progressing a. fayorablg
a. could be desired. The prosperity
of Porto Rico continues unabated.
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 tanf bill permitting
free trade between the United States
and the Archipelago. with such limi-
fations in sugar and tobacco a. shall
prevent injury 70 the domestic in
terests on those products. We can
count on an improvement IN business
conditions in the Philippines and the
development of q mutually profitable
trade between this country and the
Islands.
Position Towards the South
/ look forward with hope 10 in
creasing the already good feeling be-
tween the South and the other Sec
tlons Of the country. Ny chief pur-
pose il not TO effect a 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-
sacy throughout the South. and the
existence of a 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
goyernmept, and that is officers in
their States are their officers. ~
The South and the Negro.
The consideration Of this question
cannot. however, be complete and
foil without reference to the negro
race. its progress and its present
condition. The 18th Amendment Sc
cured them freedom; the l4th
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 ne
gro. The 18th and 18th Amendments
have been generally enforced and
have secured the objects for which
they were intended. While the 18th
Amendment has not been generally
observed in the past, il ought to be
observed and the tendency of South
ein legislation today is toward the
enactment of electoral qualifications
which shall square with that amend
ment. OF course the mere adoption
of a constitutional law is only one
step in the right direction. II must
he fairly and justly enforced as we'll
In time both will come. Hence il is
clear to all that the domination of
an ignorant. irresponsible elemen;
can be prevented b., constitutional
laws which shall exclude from voting
both negroes and whites not having
education or other qualifications
thought to be necessary for a proper
electorate. 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.
The colored men must base their
hope on the results of their own in
dustry, self-restraint. thrift and bus
mess success. as well as upon the
and and comfort and sympathy which
they may receive from their white
neighbors of the South. There was
a time when Northerners who SYM
pathized with the negro in his neces
sary struggle for better conditions
sought TO give him the suffrage as a
protection. and 10 enforce lis exer-
cise against the prevailing sentiment
of the South. The movement proved
10 be a failure. What remains is
the 18th Amendment TO the Consfi-
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.
IL never viii be repealed. and il
never ongh' to be repealed. If il had
not been passed. il might be diticnl,
now to adopt 1T <bu, with il in our
fundamental law. the policy of South
ern legislation must and will tend 10
obey II, 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. II is no,
the disposition or within the pro-
vince Of the Federal Government 10
interfere with the regulation By Sou
them States of their domestic affairs.
There Is IN the South stronger feel
ing than ever among the intelligent.
weil-to-do and influential element in
favor of the industrial education of
the negro and the encouragement Of
the race TO make themselves usefnl
members of the community. The nro-
gress which the negro has made in
the last fifty years from slavery.
when lis statistics are reviewed. i
marvellous. and il furnishes every
reason to hope that in the next
twenty-five wears a still Srester in