Okolona messenger. (Okolona, Miss.) 1900-current, 1909-03-10

lected. We are all in favor OF havini
IL built as promptly as possible. We
must not now. therefore, keep up fire
In the rear Of the agents whom VIZ
have authorized to do our work on tho
isthmus. We must hold up theil
hands, and speaking for the incoming
administration, | wish to say that
propose to devote all the energy pos
sible 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 con
structive enterprise of modern times
The governments of our dependen'
cies In Porto Rico and the Philippines
are progressing as favorably as could
be desired. The prosperity of Porto
Rico continues undated. The bust
ness conditions in the Philippines are
not all that we could wish them to be,
Oub Win thO pdoouEC vi LhC now bol ~
bill permitting free trade between the
United States and the archipelago,
with such limitations In sugar and to-
bacco as shall prevent injury to the
domestic interests 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. 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
there rebounds to our credit as a ma
ton.
Cites Progress of Negroes.
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 a change in the electoral vote
of the southern states. That is a sec-
ondary consideration. What l 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 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 fhic INF So, thni,
ment, and that its officers in their
states are their officers.
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 secured them
freedom; the 14th amendment due
process OF law. protection of property
and the pursuit of happiness; and the
18th 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 to-day is toward
the enactment of electoral qualifica-
lions which shall square with that
amendment OF course, the 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 it is clear to all that the dom
ination of an ignorant, irresponsible
element can be prevented by consti-
tutional laws which shall exclude from
voting both negroes and whites not
having education or other qualifica-
lions thought to be necessary for a
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 well as upon the aid and comfort
and sympathy which they may receive
from their white neighbors of the
south. There was time when north
erners who sympathized with the me-
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
proved to be a failure.
What remains is the 18th amendment
to the constitution and the right to
have statutes of states specifying
for electors subjected to
the test of compliance with that
This is great protec-
ton to the negro. 1t will never be re-
pealed, and it never ought to be re-
Dealed. If 1t had not been PASSED, it
might be difficult now to adopt it; but
with it in our fundamental law, the
policy of southern legislation must and