Putnam patriot., 1909-03-05

s 1909
qualifications though; 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
eru white citizens take IN the welfare
Of the negroes has increased The col
ored men must base their hope on the
results of their own industry. self re
sfraint. thrift and business success a.
vel as upon the aid and comfort and
sympathy which they may receive
from their white neighbors OF the
south. There was a time when north
erners $ 10 sympafhized with the ne
gro 10 his necessary struggle for bet
ter conditions sought 10 give TO him
the suffrage as a protection and 70 en-
force IL exercise against the prevail
ing sentiment Of the south. The move
raeut proved 70 be a failure. What re
mains i the fifteenth amendment to
the constitution and the right TO have
statutes of states specifying quaiifica.
tons for electors subjected TO the test
Of compliance with that amendment
This i a great protection 10 the negro
II neyef viii be repealed. and il never
ought 70 be repealed. II IL bad not
been passed it might be diffieult now
To adopt Il. but with II in our funda-
mental Law the policy Of southern leg
islation must and Will tend TO obey II.
and so long as the statutes Of the
states meet the test OF this amend
ment and are not otherwise I'm con
Hlet with the constitution and laws of
the United States II 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.
NEGRO Is Now American"
There Is In the south stronger feel
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 10 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 II furnishes every reason to
hope that In the next twenty-five years
n still greater improvement In his con
dItion as 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 aeo against
their will and this is their only coun-
trf ard their only flag They hive
,E1wn themselves anxious Ia I've for
II and Ia die FIR it Eneeunterine the
racp Feeling against them. subjected
At Times ia cruel Injustice growing eat
IF II they INV we'll have our profound
sympathy and aid IN the struggle theF
are making We are charged with the
sacred duty # making their path rs
smooth aud easy as We cam Any
recognition 81 their distinguished men.
any appointment to Office from among
their number. rs pre- 81 taken as an
acknowledgement aAd an aa9see iatiea Of
their progress. and this just policy
shall be pursued
The Appointment ef Negroes.
Eut it may well admit of doubt
whether ia ease of any race an APP
peiatmeHt of che Of their number to
4 local oilice n community in which
the race feeling is 50 widespread and
acute as To interfere with the ease and
facility with which the local govern
ment business can be done by the APP
pefntee Is Of sufficient benefit by way
Of encouragement To the -aee To out
weigh the recurrence and increase of
race feeling which such an appoint
ment X Ilkely 10 eneender Therefore
the executive in recognizing The Negro
race hr appointments must exercise II
careful aisa retiea net thereby 10 do it
more hlrm Than good On the other
hand. We must he careful net To en-.
eo6rn 20 tie mere preteuse of race feel
ing manufactured Ia the interest Of in
divIdual political ambition,
No Race Feeling In White House.
Personally have not the slightest
race prejudice or feeling. and recoeni
ton of its existence only awakens in
my heart deeper sympathy for those
who have 10 bear il or suffer from IT,
aud | question the wisdom of policy
which is likely to increase H. Mean
time. IL nothing is done to prevent. n
better feeling between the negroes and
the whites In the south will continue
to grow and more and more of the
white people will come to realize that
the future Of the south is to be much
benefited by the Industrial and intel
lectual progress of the negro. The ex.
ercise of political franchises by those
of his race who nre intelligent and
well 10 do will he ucquiesced In. and
the right 10 vote will hc withheld only
from the ignorant and irresponsible of
both races.
The Labor Question.
There Is ore ether matter 10 which |
shall refer. II was made the subject
of great controversy during the cleo
tion and calls for IT least passing
reference now Ny distinguished pred
ecessor his given much attention to
the cause ef labor. with whose strus
gle for better things he has shown the
sineerest sympathy At his Instance
congress has passed the bill fixing the
liability Of interstate carriers to their
employees for injury sustained In the
course OF employment. abolishing the
rule Of fellow servant and the common
law rule as TO contributory negligence
and substituting therefor the so called
rule OF comparative negligence. IL has