Franklin's paper the statesman., 1909-06-26

And, further, 1t was a tacit justifca-
tion of the adoption of the new constitu-
tions in southern states designed avowed-
ly for the purpose of eliminating the Ne
gro vote from the electorate of those
states and which square with the ma
tional constitution neither in letter nor
in spirit as demanded by the national
platform of the Republican party upon
which the president was elected
But President Taft did not apparently
mean his professions of wishing the well
fare of the Negro race. for in practice we
find him appointing men, including Dem
ocrats with antebellum tendencies to
high posts of honor and power GncludinR
recent United States judgeship in North
Carolina) in the south who are known to
be antagonistic to Negro advancement.
But the evil influence of President
Taft's Lily White Negro policy did not
stop with political reaction. 1t brought
the Negro fresh troubles in industrial
hfe. Labor unions In the south. member
ship In which is denied to Negroes. have
become bold TO announce they want the
latter expelled from employment they
have enjoyed for generations solely be-
cause of their color. and the state OF
Georgia is now in the throes of Industrial
strife. which had its inception in Presi-
dent Tafts inaugural address.
The executive yielding to wltheriny
color prejudice is being reflected through
out the nation by acts against Negroes
perpetrated by all classes from the low
est Tlebeian to the highest courts In the
south. Lynchings are now Of almost
daily occurrence. Officers OF the peace
are everywher2 aggressive against Ne
sroes. Lower courts arr severe In their
sentences, and the supreme court OF New
York has just decided that Negro can
not be injured in reputation and feelings
TO the same extent as a white man may
And general agitation against the In
dustrial freedom. civil and political equal
ity OF the colored people seems to have
been inaugurated. We repudiate the doc
trine that Negroes are political children.
But even II that were true 1t may be said
mat our political infancy Is no more pro-
nounced than Is the infancy of the preju-
diced southern white man relating to DO
litical honesty. civic virtue or moral rec
titude, and the one should not be dis
franchised or denied equal rights at the
behest of the other.
We therefore unqualifedly denouncs
the executive color line policy of Presi-
dent Taft. and from this presidential
apostle of color disfranchisement we de-
mand that President Taft so change his
policies regarding Negro Americans to
square with the Chicago Republican
platform, which demands the enforce
ment in both letter and spirit OF the four
teenth and fifteenth amendments to the
national constitution. We further de-
mand that congress reduce the repre-
sentation In the national legislature ac-
cording to the letter of the fourteenth
amendment in all states which have elm
mated any portion Of their male citizens
from their electorates. We further de-
mand that the congress take such steps
and adopt laws that are necessary to re-
move Jurisdiction In lynching cases from
the courts Of those states found incom-
petent to protect the lives and property
OF persons accused of crime
The appeal also commends Justice
Harlan of the United States supreme
court and ex-senator Foraker for their
efforts In behalf of justice for the race