The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1909-03-18

er'l Wnlte cnE.cuS tdhc III Tic NSAA$AAS
OF the negroes has increased. The col
ored men must base their hope CO the
results OF their own industry. SELF re-
straint. thrift and business success as
we'll 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 who sympathized with the ne
gro in his necessary struggle for bet
ter conditions sought TO give to him
the suffrage as a protection and to en-
force its exercise against the prevail
ing sentiment of the south. The move
ment proved to be failure. Whit re-
mains is the fifteenth amendment to
the constitution and the right to have
statutes of states specifying qualifica-
tons for electors subjected to the test
of compliance with that amendment.
This is q great protection to the negro.
1t never will be repealed, and it never
ought TO be repealed. IT it had not
been passed it might be difficult now
to adopt it. but with it in our funda-
mental law the policy of southern leg
islation must and will tend to obey it.
and SO long as the statutes of the
states meet the test of this amend
ment and are not otherwise in con-
flict with the constitution and laws OF
the United States it 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 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 it furnishes every reason to
hope that in the next twenty-five years
still greater improvement in his con-
dition as productive member of So
ciety. on the farm and in the shop and
In other occupations, may come. The
negroes are now Americans. Their
ancestors came here years ago against
their will, and this is their only coun
try and their only flag. They have
shown themselves anxious to live for
it and to die for it. Encountering the
race feeling against them, subjected
at times to cruel injustice growing on.
Of it, they may we'll have our profound
sympathy and aid in the struggle they
are making We are charged with the
sacred duty Of making their path rs
smooth and easy as we can. Any
recognition of their distinguished men,
any appointment to Office from among
encouragement and an appreciation of
their progress, and this just policy
shall be pursued.
The Appointment Of Negroes.
Eut it may we'll admit of doubt
whether in case of any race an APP
pointment of one Of their number to
local office ia a community in which
the race feeling is SO widespread and
acute as to interfere with the ease and
facility with which the local govern
ment business can be done by the ap-
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 in recognizing the negro
race by appointing" must exercise a
careful discretion Ii thereby to do it
more harm than good. On the other
hand. we must be careful not to en-
courage the mere pretense Of race feel
ing manufactured in the interest of in
dividual political ambition.
No Race Feeling In White House.
Personally l have not the slightest
race prejudice or feeling and recogni-
ton of its existence only awakens in
my heart deeper sympathy for those
who have to bear it or suffer from it,
and l question the wisdom Of policy
which is likely to increase it. Mean
time, il nothing is done to prevent, a
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 are intelligent and
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. 1t 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 Tor better things he has shown the
sincerest 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. It has
also passed law fixing the comDen-
satlon OF government employees for
injuries sustained in the employ of the
government through the negligence of
the superior. 1t also passed a model
child labor law for the District Of Co
lumbia. In previous administrations
an arbitration law for interstate COM
merce railroads and their employees
and laws for the application of safety
devices to save the lives and limbs of
| employees of interstate railroads had
been passed Additional legislation of
this kind was passed by the outgoing
congress-
wish to say that, in so far as can.
hope to promote the enactment Of