The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1909-03-07
PRESIDENT TAFT.

thOr1ty as President OF the Untet
States, Theodore Roosevelt has stepped
down and is out and w. H. Taft has
become the head OF this nation, tn,
greatest on earth.
As President OF the United States
with his party in full possession of ever,
department OF the government, it is II
his power to obliterate whatever sec
ionalism there may still be lingering
between the North and the South. espe-
cially the race antagonism, by the pro-
motion OF cordial fellowship and good
WILL which is essential to the peace and
happiness and the general welfare of the
people.
Now that Mr. Taft is President
elected by pronounced ma ority Of the
people, in the South he will find the most
loyal and generous support if he shall
be conservative. as it is to be hoped he
will be, on the issues which may arise
on the consideration OF the Fifteenth
Amendment to the Constitution
liS pNoDlN VI llIS .ooull Sllotuu UGdl
in mind the fact that in his inaugural
address he declared:
While the Fifteenth Amendment has
not been generally observed in the past,
it ought to be observed, and the ten
dency of Southern legislation today is
toward the enactment OF electoral quail
ihcations which shall square with that
amendment. OF course, the mere adop-
ton of 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. Hence it is clear
that all the domination of an ignorant,
irresponsible element can be prevented
by constitutional laws which shall ex-
clude from voting both negroes and
whites not having education or other
qualifications thought to be necessary
for proper electorate.
Viewed seriously, this utterance is not
rcassring and may encourage the DOM
inant majority, inclined to radicalism,
in reducing the representation of the
South in Congress, to activity in the
enactment of some statute which would
arouse he strongest resentment and the
most stubborn opposition of the States
which would be affected by such legis-
1ation.
When journeying through the South
Mr.. Taft by his cheering and friendly
expr ssions as we'll as his presence ere
2ted most favorable impression, but
should such an antagonism as suggest
ed in the words quoted are revived, he
must not be surprised should he alien
ate this good fellowship and good will
of the South and its people.
Another feature of Mr. Taft's adj
dress which should not escape attention
is the declaration of his intent to sup
port Mr. Roosevelt's policies, but some
of these policies are decidedly unfair
and unjust to the South, one of which
is the order closing the naval stations in
the South, their dismantling and their
removal to Northern States
As this order was seemingly not die
tated in a friendly spirit, it should mot
be approved. Why this demonstration
of sectionalisln?
There is another point in which the |
South is concerned, and it is in Mr.
Iaft's promise to not force the appoint
naent of negro where he is objection
able. but still, there is that covert threat /
of the Fifteenth Amendment, which
has not been generally observed in the
past and ought to be observed /
On the issue OF the negro the eau
casian's views, frequently expressed
with deliberation, have not changed nor
are they likely to be altered as long as
the supremacy of the white race is men
aced by the provisions of the Fifteenth |
Amendment
Because Mr.. Taft has been gentle and
amiable and genial and has won many of
the people of the South with his honeyed
words, is no reason why the South and
the people should be willing to surren-
der all that is sacred and dear to them,
and they will not In time Mr. Taft
will realize that there is line of de-
narration between the whites and the
negroes Of the South, which can never
be reconciled It is not, as charged by
the North, due to race prejudice but to
the higher law which dictates that the
superior race must deteriorate and be-
come debased whenever it shall be level
with negro. This rule or law applies
not only to the African but to the Mon
gohan and other races.
It may be probable that in his inau
gural deliverance Mr. Taft was careful
to not offend his negro friends at the
North who control the election in sew
eral States, but he should also be con-
siderate of the white men i'll the Soutl,
who must stand Or fall in unfolding
civilization and the perpetuity of white
In Brief, Mr. Taft is wasting his time
and his opportunity if he be inclined to