The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1909-03-05

|
all that the domination Of an ignorant,
irresponsible element can be prevent
ed by constitutional laws which shall
exclude from voting both negroes and
whites not having education or other
qualifications thought to be necessary
for a proper electorate. The danger
Of the control Of 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 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 protection and to en-
force its exercise against the prevail
Ing sentiment of the south. The move
ment proved to be failure. What re-
mains Is the fifteenth amendment to
the constitution and the right to have
statutes Of states specifying qualifca-
tions for electors subjected to the test
of compliance with that amendment.
This is great protection to the negro.
1t never will be repealed, and 1t never
ought to be repealed. If 1t had not
been passed 1t might be difficult now
to adopt 1t, but with 1t 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-
f1ict with the constitution and laws of
the United States 1t is not the disposi-
tion or within the province Of the fed.
eral government to interfere with the
regulation by southern states Of their
domestic affairs.
"Negro ls Now American"
There is in the south stronger feel
ing than ever among the intelligent,
we'll 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 flftysyears from slavery, when
Its statistics are reviewed, is marvel
Gus, and 1t furnishes every reason to
hope that in the next twenty-five years
a still greater improvement In his con-
dition as n productive member Of So
ciety, or 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
1t and to die for 1t. Encountering the
race feeling against them, subjected
at times to cruel injustice growing out
Of 1t, they may well have our profound
sympathy and aid In the struggle they
are making. We are charged with tho
sacred duty Of making their path az
smooth and easy as we can. Any
recognition of their distinguished men,,
any appointment to 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 it may we'll admit Of doubt
whether in case Of any race an ap-
pointment Of one of their number to
local office in community in which
the race feeling is 80 widespread and
fa 10 i,,fa nA
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 appointments must exercise a
careful discretion not thereby to do 1t
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 feellng, and recogni-
tion of its existence only awakens in
my heart deeper sympathy for those
who have to bear 1t or suffer from 1t,
and l question the wisdom of u policy
which is likely to increase It. Mean
time, If 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.
Continued on I'd DaPe1