Coeur d'Alene evening press. (Coeur d'Alene, Idaho) 1907-1929, 1909-03-04
TAFT's INAUGURAL ADDRESS
CONTINUED from Page Two.)

khe men who are doing faithful hard
work to bring about the early compile
lion of this the greatest constructive
Enterprise of modern times
Free Trade With PHILIPPINES.
The governments Of our dependen-
cies in Porto Rico and the Philippines
are progressing as favorably as could
be desired. The prosperity OF Porto
Rico continues undated. The bust
ness conditions In the Philippines are
not all that we could wish them to be,
but with the passage of the new tariff
bill permitting free trade between the
United States and the archipelago,
with such limitations In sugar and
tobacco as shall prevent injury to the
Domestic interests on those products,
we can count on an improvement in
business conditions In the Philippines
and the development of a mutually
profitable trade between this country
and the islands. Meantime our gov
ernment in each dependency is uphold
ing the traditions of civil liberty and
Increasing popular control, which might
be expected under American auspices.
The work which we are doing there
rebounds to our credit as a nation.
Words Of Friendship For the South.
/ look forward with hope to increas-
Ing the already good feeling between
the south and the other sections of the
country. My chief purpose is not to
Effect a change in the electoral vote Of
the southern states. That is a second
AIRY consideration. What | look for
ward to is an increase in the tolerance
of political views of all kinds and
their advocacy throughout the south
and the existence of a respectable DO
litical opposition In every state-even
more than than this, to an increased
feeling 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 race,
It's progress and its 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 at
tempted to secure the negro against
any deprivation of the privilege to
vote because he was a negro. The
Thirteenth and fourteenth amend
ments have been generally enforced
and have secured the objects for which
they were intended. While the If
teenth amendment has not been gener-
ally observed in the past, 1t ought to
be observed. and the tendency of
southern legislation today is toward
the enactment of electoral qualifica-
lions which shall square with that
amendment.
No Repeal of Fifteenth Amendment.
OF course the mere adoption of
constitutional law is only one step in
he right direction. 1t must be fairly
Ind justly enforced as well. In time
both will come. Hence 1t is clear to
III that the domination of an ignorant,
irresponsible element can be prevent
d by constitutional laws which shall
exclude from voting both negroes and
whites not having education or other
Qualifications thought to be necessary
AOr a proper electorate. The danger
the control of an ignorant electorate
as therefore passed. With this change
be interest which many of the south
IN white citizens take in the welfare
the negroes has increased. The col
red men must base their hope on the
esults of their own industry. self re-
Eraint, thrift and business success as
tell as upon the aid and comfort and
ympathy which they may receive
rom their white neighbors of the
Duth. There was a time when north
rners who sympathized with the ne
20 in his necessary struggle for bet
r conditions sought to give to him
be suffrage as a protection and to en-
rce Its exercise against the prevail
Ag sentiment of the south. The move
emit proved to be a failure. What re-
aims is the fifteenth amendment to
e constitution and the right to have
atutes of states specifying qualifica-
pns for electors subjected to the test
compliance with that amendment.
lis Is great protection to the negro.
never will be repealed, and 1t never
ght to be repealed. If it had not
Pm passed it might be difficult now
adopt it, but with it in our funda-
ental law the policy Of southern leg
alton must and will tend to obey It,
Ad so long as the statutes of the
ntes meet the test OF this amend
ent and are not otherwise In con-
TT with the constitution and laws of
e United States it is not the disposi-
pm or within the province of the fed
al government to interfere with the
gulation by southern states Of their
mestie affairs.
NEGRO Is Now American"
There is In the south stronger feel
z than ever among the intelligent.
ell to do and influential element in
vor OF the Industrial education OF