The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1909-03-06

the men Nhc are doing faithful hard
work 10 bring about the early compile
ton OF this the greatest constructive
enterprise Vt modern times
Free Trade With Philippines.
The ~ Grnments Of our dependen-
etes In Porto Rico aud the Philippines
are progressing rs favorabiy as could
De desired. The prosperity OF Porto
Rico continues unah0ted. The bust
hess conditions In the Philippines are
not all that We could wish them 10 be
but with the passage Of the new tsr,r
au permitting free trade between the
Onlred States and the archipelago.
with such limitations In sugar and
tobacco as shall prevent injury 10 the
domestic interests on those products
we can count on an improvement In
business conditions in the Philippines
ana the Development Of mutually
prontaole trade between this country
ana the Islands. Meantime our gov
erninent In each dependency is uphold
lnS the traditions OF civil liberty and
increasing popular control which might
&c expected under American auspices
The work which we are doing tbara
rebounds 70 our credit as a nation.
Words Of Friendship For the South.
look forward with hope 10 increas-
inS the already good feeling between
the south and the other sections OF the
country Ny chief purpose IS not 70
eject a change In the electoral vote OF
the southern states. That Is a second
ary consideration. What look for
ward TO Is an Increase in the tolerance
OF political views OF all kinds and
their advocacy throughout the south
ana the existence OF respectable Do
litical opposition In every state-even
more than than this 10 an increased
teeiing on the part Of all the people In
the south that this government is their
government and that its officers in
their states are their officers.
The Negro Question.
The consideration OF this question
cannot. however. be complete and full
without reference to the negro racc-
It's progress and It's present condition
The thirteenth amendment secured
them freedom. the fourteenth amend
ment due process Of law. protection
OF property and the pursuit Of happi
ness. and the fifteenth amendment a
tempted TO secure the negro against
any deprivation OF the privilege To-
vote because he was negro. The
thirteenth and fourteenth amend
ments have been generally enforced
and have secured the objects FOR which
they We're intended. While the III
tcenth amendment has not been gener-
ally observed IN the past. Il ought TO
ee observed. aud the tendency OF
southern legislation today is toward
the enactment Of electoral Qualifca-
tons which shall square with that
amendment
No Repeal Of Fifteenth Amendment.
OF course the mere adoption OF a
constitutional law is only Que step IN
the right direction. Il must be fairly
and justly enforced as well Ia time
both Will come. Hence IL is clear 10
all that the domination OF an ignorant.
irresponsible element can Toe prevent
ell by constitutional laws which shall
exclude from voting both negroes and
whites not having education or other
qualifications thought 20 Ice necessar
Tor proper electorate. The danger
Of the control 81 an ignorant electorate,
has therefore passed. With this change
the interest which many Of the south
ern 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.
straint, thrift and business success as
well 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 hls necessary struggle for bet
ter conditions sought TO give 10 him
the suffrage as protection and 10 en-
force its exercise against the prevail
ing sentiment OF the south The move
ment proved 10 be a failure What re
mains Is the fifteenth amendment -
the constitution and the right TO have
statutes Of states specifying qualinca.
tons for electors subjected 10 the test
or compliance with that amendment.
This is great protection to the negro
IL never VIII be repealed. and IL never
ought 20 be repealed II II had NOT
been passed Il might be difficult now
10 adopt II. but with IL In our funda
mental law the policy OF southern leg
islation must and will tend 10 obey II
and so long as the statutes OF the
states meet the test OF this amend
ment and are not otherwise in con.
hict with the constitution and laws OF
the United States It is not the DISPOSE
ton or within the province Of the fed.
eral government 10 interfere with the
regulation 10y southern states Of their
domestic affairs.
NEGRO Is Now American"
There is IN the south a stronger feel
ing than ever among the intelligent
well 10 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 II furnishes every reason TO
hope that In the next twenty-five years
a stu greater improvement in his con-
dition as n 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 conn
Try and thS.ir only flag. They have
shown themselves anxious to live for