The Penn's Grove record., 1909-03-05

II 0QAElQCl 4l4Qu VI Lll1 4uCSAlOA
cannot, however, be complete and full
without reference to the negro race,
its progress and its present condition.
The Thirteenth Amendment secured
them freedom; the Fourteenth
lection of property and the pursuit
of happiness; and the Fifteenth
Amendment attempted to secure the
negro against any deprivation of the
privilege to vote, because he was a
negro. The Thirteenth and Four
teenth Amendments have been gener-
ally enforced and have secured the
objects for which they were intended.
While the Fifteenth Amendment has
not been generally observed in, the
past, it ought to be observed, and the
tendency of Southern legislation to-
day is toward the enactment of cleo
toral qualifications which shall square
with that amendment.
On the race question Mr.. Taft
thinks:
"Of course, the mere adoption of a
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 to
all that the domination of an ig-
norant, irresponsible element a be
prevented by constitutional laws
which shall exclude from voting both
negroes and whites not having edu-
cation or other qualifications thought
to be necessary for a proper cleo
torate. The danger of the control of
al ignorant electorate has therefore
passed. = There was a time
when Northerners who sympathized
with the negro in his necessary strug-
gle for better conditions sought to
give him the suffrage as a protection,
and to enforce its exercise against the
prevailing sentiment of the South.
The movement proved to be a
failure"
"There is in the South a stronger
feeling than eve among the intelli-
gent, well-to-do and influential ele-
ment in favor of the industrial edu-
cation of the negro and the o
agement of the race to make them
selves useful members Of the COM
munity."
Personally" observed Mr.. Taft,
II have not the slightest race preju-
dice or feeling, and recognition of it's
existence only awakens in my heart
a deeper sympathy for those who
have to bear it or suffer from it, and
I question the wisdom of a policy
which is likely to increase it."
. @The exercise of political fran
chises by those of the negro race who
are intelligent and well-to-do will be
acquiesced in, and the right to vote
will be withheld only from the ig-
norant and irresponsible Of both
races"
On the topic of labor Mr.. Taft
noted: that Congress had passed the
bill fixing the liability of interstate
carriers to their employees for injury
sustained in the course of employ
ment, a~bolishing the rule of fellow
servant and the common law rule as
to c~ontributory negligence. and sub
stituting therefor the so-called rule of
comparative negligence, and a model
child labor law.
/ wish 20 say, he continued, that
in SO far as / can, / hope to promote
the enactment of further legislation
Of this character am strongly con
virced that the Government should
make itself as responsible to en-
ployes injured in its employ IS an
interstate railway corporation is made
responsible by Federal law to its en-
ployes; and l shall be glad, whenever
any additional reasonable safety de-
vice can be invented to reduce the
loss of life and limb among railway
employees, to urge Congress to re-
quire its adoption by interstate rail-
ways.
In conclusion the Inaugural Ad-
dress says:
Another labor question has arisen
which has awakened the most excited
discussion. That is in respect to
the power of the Federal courts to
issue injunctions in Industrial dis
putes. AS to that, my convictions
are fixed. Take away from courts,
If 1t could be taken away, the power
to issue injunctions in labor disputes,
and it would create a privileged class
among the laborers and save the law
less among their number from a most
needful remedy available to all men
for the protection of their business
against lawless invasion. The propo-
sition that business is not a property
or pecuniary right which can be pro-
tected by equitable injunction is ut
terly without foundation in precedent
or reason. The proposition is usually
linked with n to make the Sec
ondary boycott lawful. Such a propo-
sition is at variance with the Amer
lean instinct and will find no support
in my judgment when submitted to
the American people. The secondary
boycott is an instrument of tyranny,
and ought not to be made legitimate.
The issuing of a temporary re-
straining order without notice has in
several instances been abused by it's
inconsiderate exercise, and to remedy
this, the platform upon which / was
elected recommends the formulation
in a statute of the conditions under
which such a temporary restraining
order ought to issue. A statute can
and ought to be framed to embody
the best modern practice, and can
bring the subject so closely to the
attention of the court as to make
abuses of the process unlikely in the
future. American people, if / under
stand them, insist that the authority
of the courts shall be sustained and
are opposed to any change in the
procedure by which the powers of a
court may be weakened and the fear
less and effective administration of
justice be interfered with.
Having thus reviewed the questions
likely to recur during my Admins
t~ration, and having expressed in a
summary way the position which l
expect to take in recommendations
to Congress and in my conduct as an
Executive, T. invoke the c~onsiderate
sympathy and support of my fellow
citizens, and the aid of Almighty God
in the discharge Of my responsible
duties.
WILLIAM HOWARD TAFT.