The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1909-03-09

when Northerners who Sympathlzed
with the negro in his necessary strug-
Gle for better conditions sought to
give to him the suffrage as a protec-
ton, and to enforce its exercise
against the prevailing sentiment Of
the South. The movement proved to
be a failure. What remains is the
18th amendment to the constitution
and the right to have statutes Of Sta
teS specifying qualifications for elec-
tors subject to the test of compli-
ance with that amendment. This is
great protection to the negro. It new
er will be repealed, and it never ought
to be repealed. If it had not been
passed. It might be difficult now to
adopt it; but with it in our funda
mental law, the policy Of Southern
legislation 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-
flict with the constitution and laws
of the United States. it is not the dis
position or within the province of the
| federal government TO interfere with
the regulation by Southern States OF
them domestice affairs.
There is in the South a stronger
feeling than ever among the intelIi-
gent. well-to-do and Influential ele-
ment In favor of the industrial educa-
ton Of the negro and the encourage
ment Of the race ITO make themselves
useful members of the community.
The progress which the negro has
made in the last 50 years from slav
ery. when its statistics are reviewed,
is marvellous, and it furnishes every
reason to hope that in the next 25
Years still greater Improvement in
his condition as a productive member
Of society, on the farm, and in the
shop and In other occupations, may
come. The negroes are now Amerl-
cams. Their ancestors came here years
ago. against their will, and this is
their only country and their only
flag. They have shown themselves
anxious to live for it and to die, for
it. Encountering the race feeling
against them, subjected at times to
cruel injustice growing out Of it, they
may we'll have Our profound SYM
pathy and aid in the struggle they are
making. We are charged with the
sacred duty of making their path as
smooth and easy as We can. Any rec
oenItiorl of their distinguished men,
any appointment to office from among
their number, is properly taken as All
encouragement and an appreciation Of
their progress and this JUST policy
shall be pursued.
But it may we'll admit Of doubt
whether, in THE case Of any race, an
appointment Of one Of their number
to a lc>al office in a community In
which tie race feeling is so wide
spread and acute as to interfere with
the ease and facility with which ihe
local government business can be dona
b. the appointee, is of sufficient bene-
fit by way of encouragement to their
race to outweigh the recurrence and
increase of race feeling which such al
appointment is likely to engender.
Therefore, the executive, in recognlz-
ing tine negro race by appointments,
must exercise a careful discretion not
thereby to do it more harm than good.
On TIE other hand, we must be care
ful not to encourage the mere pre-
tense of race feeling manufactured IN
the interest Of individual political am
bltion.
Personally I have not the slightest
race prejudice or feeling, and recog-
milton Of its existence only awakens
in my heart a deeper sympathy for
tho:e who have to bear it or suffer
from it, and I question the wisdom Of
4 policy which is likely to increase 1t.
Meantime. if nothing is done to pre-
vent. a better feeling between the ne
eroes and the whites in the South will
continue to grow, and more and more
of the white people will come to rea-
lie THAT the future of the South is to
be much benefited by the industrial
and intellectual progress Of the negro.
The exercise 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 lrr2spon-
sible Of both races.