The Washington herald., 1909-03-05

views OF all kinds and their advocacy
throughout the South. and the existence
Of respectable political opposition in
every State. Even more than this; 10 an
increased feeling on the part Of all the
people IN the South shat this government
is their government. and that its officers
in their States are their officers
The consideration Of this question can
not, however, he complete and fUll with
out reference 10 the negro race. its prog
ress. and lis present condition The Thir-
tcenth Amendment secured them free
dom: the Fourteenth Amendment. due
process of law. protection Of property,
and the pursuit Of happiness, and the
Fifteenth Amendment attempted To- Sc
cure the negro against any deprivation Of
the privilege 20 vote because he was a
negro The ThirtCcnth and Fourteenth
+ Amendments have been generally On
forced and have secured the objects for
which tEev were intended. While the
( Fifteenth Amendment has not been gen
orally observed in the past Il ought "a
( De observed. and tae tendency OF
Southern legislation to-day j. toward the
+ eractmen: Of electoral qualifications
which SHAH square with that amendment
I OF course. tllc mere adoption Of q conSti-
tutional law Is only one step IN the
riEht direction. II must le fairly and
: Justly enforced as we'll I'm time both
viii cone. Hence. II Is clear To all that
the domination Of an ignorant. i-respOu-
/ Sibie element can te prevented by con
stitutionai laws which shall exclude from
voting both negroes and whites net hav-
Ing education or oine~ Qualifications
thought TO DE necessary fer proper
electorate. Tho danger of tlc control
o. IN ignorant electorate hes. therefore
2asseds WITH this change the interest
/ which r1any e the Southern white ciii-
zers take In the welfare - the negroes
4 las increased. The coiored men must
base their hope cr the results % their
own industry. self-restraiut. thrift. and
I business asuCccSs. rs well as upon the ava
ard comfort and sympathy which they
max receive from their white rcIShborS Of
. ihe South There was time when
No~the~nerS wilo sympatEiZcd with the
negro in his necessary struggle fOr better
! conditions sought 10 give 10 him the S'if-
/ fracc as a protection. and 90 enforce itS
exercise against the prevailing sentiment
/ If frC S9rth The movement proved 10 be
n flilure Whist remains is the Fifteenth
: Amendment 20 the Constitution aid the
right te have statutes cT States speci-
fyinr qualifications f0r electors subjected
. amendment This is a. great protection
20 tho negro 10 never VIII be repealed
and It never ought 90 he repealed II il
had moi been passed il might be difficult;
nov TO adopt it; bat with 1t Ia ous funda-
I mental law. the policy cf southern iesis-
lstion must and viii tend 90 obey i. and
50 long as tle statutes Cf tie States meet
the test Of this amendment and are not
otherwise I'm conflict with the Constitg-
tica and laws cf the United states. it is
not the disposition or within thc prov
incc If the Federal Government 30 inter
ferc with the regulation by southern
States Of their domestic affairs. There is
in the South "a stronger feeling than eye-
among the intelligent. well & do and in
Huential element in favcr e the indus
trial education of the negro and the en-
4 coura cement Of the race to make them
i selves useful members OF the community
The progress which the negro haS made
in the last nifty years from slavery. WheU
its statistics are reviewed. Is marvellous
and It furnishes every reason TO hope
that IN the next twenty-five years still
/! g~catcr Improvement in his condition as a