Evening star., 1909-03-07
NEGRO IN maryland
Democrats See DiSfranChiSe
Argument in Taft Policy.
QUOTE INAUGURAL SPEECH
Different View Taken by District At
torney John G. Rose.
STATE AIMS BLOW AT RACE
Prejudice Against Color, Not Individ-
ual Fitness, Finding Expression in
Proposed Legislation.
STATE AIMS BLOW AT RACE
Special Correspondence of The Star.

Special Correspondence OF 1ne Star-
BALTIMORE. Md, March Is. 1909.
One portion of the inaugural address of
President Taft has caused much jubila
ton among the ring democrats, who are
anxious to establish q political oligarchy
in Maryland through the ratification of
the disfranchisement amendment.
The democratic bosses are putting forth
the claim that President Taft has In the
most public manner possible put his
stamp Of approval upon the Straus amend
ment.
There is no mistaking the language"
said leader, used by Mr.. Taft in his
address. when he said: The exercise of
political franchises by those of his race
the negro who are intelligent and we'll
to-do will be acquiesced in, and the right
to vote will be withheld only from the ig-
norant and irresponsible of both races
Here you have" continued this leader.
who is high in the councils of the organ
ization, IAN unqualified Endorsement of
the amendment which will come before
the people next fall. How can our re-
publican friends forget this measure when
II has the stamp of approval from the
republican President of the United States
their national leader, as 1t were:
I'VE really had not expected such kind
words for our amendment from Mr.. Taft,
in view Of the fact that Attorney General
Bonaparte had already turned hiswit and
sarcasm against the measure. 1t is evil
dent that Mr. Taft and Mr. Bonaparte
have not been thrown much together. or
else Mr.. Bonaparte talks one way In
Maryland and another in Washington"
Views of John c. Rose.
John C. Rose, United States district
attorney, who attended the farewell din
ner given by Mr.. Roosevelt to the tennis
cabinet" gave to The Star correspondent
the following interview on that portion
Of Mr.. Tafts inaugural address which
refers to the negro vote in the south:
mo legislation" said Mr.. Rose. ''is
even suggested in that portion of his ad-
dress which relates to the negro question
or to one phase OF 1t. For all that it is
what lie has to say on the subject which
Will doubtless excite the greatest interest
in all the southern states.
THE republican party for forty years
has taught that every mans right to
participate in the government of his
country should depend upon his indi-
vidual fitness. and not upon the real or
assumed average fitness or usefulness of
some portion of the community with
which he is by his color. his race. his
occupation social position identified.
Mr.. Taft with all possible emphasis de-
clares his acceptance OF this cardinal
tenet of his party's creed.
Having made his position In this re-
spect perfectly plain, the President goes
on to make another thing quite as clear,
will be made in any locality where it is
likely that race feeling would result
The President recognizes that it is i'm
possible to secure to the negro equal po-
ltical rights in any section of the coun-
try in which practically all white men
are opposed to their exercise.
1.-The President believes that it is in the
best interests of both races that the
time shall come when the negro shall be
able everywhere to exercise those po-
htical rights. He believes that the COM
ing of that day will be postponed ra. her
than advanced by outside pressure upon
the people of the south.
Suffrage in the South.
I'm all the southern states which have
thus far adopted disfranchising amend
ments provision was made by which few
or no whites lost the suffrage, while 1t
was taken by law in practice from al
most all the negroes 1t is with this in
mind that the President says the adop-
ton of a constitutional law is only one
step In the right direction. 1t must be
fairly and justly enforced as we'll In
time both will come
But If We adopt the pending consti-