Gainesville daily sun. (Gainesville, Fla.) 190?-1938, 1909-03-05

ms therefore r1.eyd Wth this change
the Interest vl.,u mluy eft Use slI,h.
crn white citizens take On the welfare
~ the negroes has Increased. The col
ored men must base their hope Un the
results OF their own industry. self re-
stralnt. thrift and business success az
well as upon the aid and comfort aud
sympathy which they may receive
from their white nelghbOrs Of the
south. There was a time when north
erners who sympathlzed with the ne
gro I'm his necessary struggle for bet
ter conditions sought 90 give 60 him
the suffrage as n protection and TO en-
force its exercise against the prevail
ing sentiment OF the south. The move
ment proved Co be a failure. What re
mains IL the fifteenth amendment 90
tine constitution ana the r.lht Co have
statutes Of states specifying qualifca.
tions for electors subjected 20 the test
~ compliance with that amendment.
This Il great protection 90 the negro.
Il never will be repealed. and Il never
ought to be repealed. II e had not
been passed Il might be dimcult now
Co adopt Il. but with q I'm our funda-
mental law the policy OF southern leg
islation must and viii tend TO obey Il.
and 30 long as the statutes OF tn
states meet the test OF this amend
ment and are not otherwise In con
hict with the constitution and laws %
the United States Il Is not the dispOsi-
ton or within the province OF the fed
erul government 90 interfere with the
regulation bv southern states OF their
domestic affairs.
"Nepro ls Now American"
There Is en- the south a stronger feel
ing than ever among the intelligent.
well 60 do and influential element In
favor Of the industrial education Of
the negro and the encouragement OF
the race 20 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, n marvel
Gus. AMI Il furnishes every reason 10
hone that In the next twenty-five years
n still greater Improvement In his con-
dltion as n productive member OF 80
cicty. 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 viii. and this Is their only cOun-
try and their only hag. They have
shown themselves anxious 90 live for
Il and 90 die for q. EncOuntering the
race feeling against them. subjected
az times 90 cruel injustice growing out
II Il. they may well have our profound
sympathy and aid en- the struggle they
are making. We are charged with the
sacred duty Of making their path as
smooth and easy as we can. Any
recognition Of their distinguished men.
any appointment 20 Office 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 Il may well admit of doubt
whether In case OF any race an APP
pointment OF one OF their number %
a local office In a community In which
the race feeling Is 50 widespread and
acute as 20 interfere with the ease and
facility with which the local govern
ment business can be done by the ap-
DOlntee Is Of sufficient benefit by way
Of encouragement 90 the race % out
weigh the recurrence and increase Of
race feeling which such an appoint
ment Is likely 20 engender Therefore
the executive On recognizing the negro
race by appointments must exercise q
careful discretion not thereby 70 do Il
more harm than good. On the other
hand. we must be careful not % en-
courage the mere Dretense Of race feel.