The Paducah evening sun. [volume] (Paducah, Ky.) 1906-1929, 1909-03-04

south. There was a time when north
erners who sympathized with the ne
gro in his necessary struggle for bet
ter conditions sought to give TO him
the suffrage as protection and to en-
force its exercise against the prevails
ing sentiment Of the south. The move
ment proved to be failure. What re-
mains is the fifteenth amendment to
the constitution and the right to have
statutes of states specifying qualifca-
lions for electors subjected to the test
Of compliance with that amendment
This is a great protection to the negro.
1t never win be repealed. and 1t never
ought to be repealed. II II had not
been passed It might be difficult now
to adopt It. but with 1t In our funca-
mental law the policy OF southern leg
islation must and will tend to obey IL.
and so long as the statutes OF the
states meet the test Of this amend
ment and are not otherwise in con-
fiict with the constitution and laws Of
the United States 1t is not the DISPOSE
ton or within the province OF the fed
eral government to interfere with the
regulation by southern states Of their
domestic affairs.
"Nesro Is Now American"
There Is in the south n stronger seel-
ing than ever among the intelligent,
well 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 fifty years from slavery, when
its statistics are reviewed. Is marvel
Gus. and 1t furnishes every reason to
hope that in the next twenty-five years
a still greater improvement In his con-
dition as n productive member OF so
ciety, on the farm and in the shop aud
I'm other occupations. may come. The
negroes are now Americans. Their
ancestors came here years ago againsts
their will. and this is their only coun-
try and their only flag. They have
shown themselves anxious to live for,
II and to die for It. Encountering theI
race feeling against them. subjected
at times to cruel injustice growing out
of IL, they may well have our profound
sympathy and aid in the struggle they
are making. We are charged with tho
sacred duty of making their path as,
smooth and easy as we can. Anyl
recognition OF their distinguished men,
any appointment to ONCE from among
their number, is properly taken as an,
encouragement and an appreciation OF
their progress, and this Just policy
shall be pursued.
The Appointment Of Negroes.
But 1t may well admit of doubt,
whether IN case of any race an APP
pointment OF one of their number to
a local Office In a community in which
the race feeling is so widespread and
acute as 10 interfere with the ease and
facility with which the local govern
ment business can be done by the APP
pointee is Of sufficient benefit by way
of encouragement to the race to out
weigh the recurrence and increase Of
race feeling which such an appoint
ment is likely TO engender Therefore,
the executive I'm recognizing thesnegro
race by appointments must exercise a.
careful discretion not thereby TO do 10
more harm than good. On the other
hand. We must be careful not TO en-,
courage the mere pretense of race fce,-'
ing manufactured in the interest of in (
dividual political ambition. N
No Race Feeling In White House. nj
Personally l have not the slightest
race prejudice or feeling. and recognf-
ton Of its existence only awakens In
my heart deeper sympathy for those
who have to bear it or suffer from Il.
and question the wisdom Of policyll
which is likely to increase 1t. Mean
time. If nothing is done to prevent a
better feeling between the negroes and
the whites in the south will continue
20 grow. and more AMI more OF tie -
white people will come to realize thai.
| the future Of the south Is to be much
benefited by the Industrial and INTEL!
ieetual progress of the negro. The en-
ercise of political franchises by those
of his race who are intelligent andl
well to do will be acquiesced in. and
the right to vote will be withheld only
from the ignorant and irresponsible OF
both races.
The Labor Question.
There is one other matter to which I
shall refer. It was made the subject
Of great controversy during the cleo
ton and calls for at least a passing
reference now. My distinguished pred
ecessor has given much attention to
the cause Of labor, with whose strug-
gle for better things he has shown the
sincerest sympathy. At his instance
congress has passed the bill fixing the
liability Of interstate carriers 70 their
employees for injury sustained In the
course OF employment. abolishing tho
rule OF fellow servant and the common
law rule as to contributory negligence
and substituting therefor the so called
rule Of comparative negligence. II has
also passed a law fixing the compen-l
sation Of government employees for
injuries sustained in the employ OF the
government through the negligence OF
the superior 1t also passed model
child labor law for the District of Co
lumbia. In previous admInIstrations