The Washington herald., 1909-01-05
FUTURE OF THE SOUTH.
Dr.. Hannis Taylor Answers Senator
Chandler.

Editor The Washington Heuld.
Now that Senator Chandler has de-
stroyed all OF MS enemies he IS turning
upon his friends IN order 20 secure for
( them an opportunity % be heard. I an
duly grateful for the opportunity which
he has given 20 me by his attack through
I your columns TO refer 70 ny article in the
current number Of the North American
Review. II he could have found the time
10 read my article as a whole there
would have been no need for his com
mUnication, for the reason that I have
answered in advance his only real criti-
cism. After emphasizing the fact that
all OF the Southern constitutions recog-
niZe the fifteenth amendment as a cor
ner-stOne in our existing constitutional
system, I say n the article IN question;
These constitutions az Ir0Vide in some form that
those who are deprived q the Franchise b. rtssoa
e Llteracy poverty. can gam the rEht % vote
b. removing the disability Certainly L 5 TIE
duty Cf every Southern State 20 advance that
process ty doing all i can 20 educate the IitgTats
q both racgS Tie writer rFfeUs with prlde 10 the
n0b.e eacrrs that are beinE made b. his own state
% sduclte her negrO population. Eye-yhody has
heard q The famous school az TuSkegEe founded
. tie legislature u AiGbama. under act passed
n $50 % establish normal school f0r colored
people. with an annual State endowment Of $. so
That Alabama Normal scaooI has been developed
b the genius and character os Booker WGShing-
ton. backed by the gsueT0sty Of the gocd people *
the North, into tire gTeat power for good = s
to-day. IN -he city q Huntsville nay Be foCnd
the Agricultural and Mechanical College for colorsd
people. 90 which Alabama Is contributing s 90 an
uuaiiy. In the couu-y z Noble ls 20 Be found
splendid sy=-en II public schools with an average
snuaal enrclluaeut q about 500 white and 400
c5lo-ed children Il you VII examine the scurcss
from which the mO-ey cones 20 support that Sys-
ten which gives % colCrud children equal ad-
yan-agss. you VIII ind tha- al, bst snail frac-
ton cones from the pockets f white taxpayeTs
who cheeTfully impose the burden OF themselves
Is Z. thergf0re strange that under such hopeful
conditions IN which TIE uegTp population q ;he
south is advancing both IN wealth ard education
Presidents Mckinley and Roosevelt should have
made pace with the South upon the bass Of the
new constitutions.
In the light Of that declaration, why
should Mr.. Chandler deem il necessary
TO remind me that the Republican party
in its recent platform declared itself
pledged 10 enforce the thirteenth, four
teenth. and fifteenth amendments why
should he deem it necessary 70 impute TO
me an Unwillingness 70 see the colored
voter enfTanchise himself in the South
through educatiOn2 II Mr Chandler
would only go TO school TO Mr.. Taft long
enough TO imbibe from him that fraternaI
spirit Of forbearance that eliminates in
the pTecept. Bear ye one another's bur
dens" all the differences that separate
him from his Southern friends as to this
difficult question would pass away At
the banquet Of the North Carolina So
ciety Mr.. Taft said recently:
believe that the movement away from political
solidity has started and ought 20 be encouraged
and I think one way % encourage l. Is 70 have
the South understand that the attitude of the
North and the Republican party toward it Is not
one q hostility criticism OF opposition political
O. otherwise; that they believe IN the main
tenasce Of the fifteenth smeudmsnt but that IS
already explained, they do not deem that amend
me1t 70 be Inconsistent with the Soutk's obtain
lng and maintaining what II regards its political
safety from domination q an ignorant electorate:
that the North yeaTns f0T closer association with
the South that its CTti1eus deTGoCate that re
on the subject x politics which - long has
been maintained In Che Otherwise delightful social
relations between Southerners and NoTtherrers as
they are more and mere frequently thrown together
We believe that the solution q the raoe qUes-
ton IN the South Is largely matter q industrial
and thorOuEh education We believe that the best
frierd that the southern negro can have Is the
southern white man. and that the growing interest
wnich the Southern white man Is taking IN The de
velopuent q tbe negro Is oae q the most en-
c0uraEing reasons for believeing the problem is
capable q solution.
On the whole. then. the best public opinion of
the NoTth and the best public opinion Of the
South seem TO Be cgning together IN respect 10
al the economic and political questions growing
out 4 present race Conditions.
Mr. Tast understands, as every states
man must understand. that this mighty
problem. which affects the nation as q
whole. must be solved by "the best public
opinion Of the North and the best public
opinion Of the South" acting in such con-
cert as will exclude all Of the bitterness
and intolerance that has retarded its so
luton in the past. There never has been
a time in our history when the national
feeling upon the negro question has been
so calm. so judicial. so fraternal as ut
this happy moment Only very old men
whose natures have been imbittered by
the conflicts Of the past can refuse to
participate in the new era Of good feel
ing which Mr. Taft is inauguTating. Mr.
Chandler is not now and can never be an
old man-''the fresh heart Of his existence
beats forever ike a boys
HANNIS TAYLOR.
Washington. January {.