The Washington herald., 1909-02-28

ing the negro, which inhereS not in preJU-
dice. but in fact.
President Roosevelt has begun 10 IN
derstand the situation IN the South He
has opened thelsTay for q Republican
President TO De put in close touch with
Souther7ers and wsth their ideas and
ideals.
President-elect Taft has a wide and
wonderful opportunity The way in
which he handles dOUbly delicate situa-
ton viii have a vital bearing on the
making Of history IN the next ten or If
teen years
south Must Quit COwardice.
And having mentioned President-eIect
Taft. We touch. back 10 the handspring
OF this discussion
Shall the Solid South" be broken?
We have said that this decision must
come from within the South.
What. then. is the position Of the Sold
South in Democratic ranks2
AS long as the South remains solidIy
Democratic under present conditions size
viii be hopeless and helpless. She gave
to the recent Democratic Presidential
nominee all but q thimbIefuIl OF cleo
toral votes. yet she had no voice in max
Ing the nomination, and If the election
Of the nominee had followed she would
have been not one whit better Of, save
for an isolated Office or two.
Why Because the Democrats outside
the South believe that the negro scare
crow VIII keep the South soli3ly Demo
cratic. They have heard for years that
the Democrats Of the South would vote
for yellow dog" + the party nomi-
mated one. Therefore the Northern and
Eastern and Western Democrats write
the platform. name the nominee. ard In
their heerts-for they do not understand
how the negro question has s0Iidiaed the
South-deSpise the South's timiditv and
COmplacence- II is because the South
has always been solid and Democ-ati-
that il has no power with the Damocratie
party. and Il is for this same reason
that the Republican party has heretofore
slipped IN no planks that might paill7te
the Southerners. The Solid South is
mo longer power; IL is a phrase that is
the signal for laughter
Democracy What 90 the organized
Democrats Of Tammany care for Democ-
racy in its broadest sense2 For national
politics TammaDy wouldn't lift z fuge-
Il New York CITY might be carried IN To-
cal politics by knitting the national nomi-
nee.
Two Ways 20 Settle It.
But the South is seeing and under
standing. There are Two ways open for
her, now that the negro vote Is 70. a few
years put out Of danger
One IS 70 demand control Of the ua-
fionai Democratic party and the Couven-
~-s-
take control and nominate its own man
out Of the South. and begin a fight from
the start. and 10 the finish.
The other course IS 10 break the SOLID
South"
# by any chance this should occur
next election. and Georgia should he the
State mat breaks away. 1t would be sure
20 mean a Cabinet officer from this
State, doubtless one OF more Republican
Southern Republican-Congress
And there you have the South's political
freedom told in a nutshell
In the South no man but q stanca
Southerner could be elected even as 4
I RepUblican-noT would the Republicans
appoint any other kind Then the South
viii have representation in the party
councils OF the Republican party. ana
what her representatives say viii be
/ needed. not only because doubtful States
are rot easily 20 be disregarded. but
equally because the Republican party VII
( be hearing the SoUths story from q
/ Southern Republican And the negro who
waits for Federal appointment wiz turn
/ gray with age.
How Taft Can Satisfy south.
( Frankly. We believe the breaking of the
/ solid South would be one OF the best
things politically that could happen 70
I the South. and We have tried 20 lay the
/ foundation for this conclusion. and YET
not distort conditions.
There Is no intention 10 suggest that
\ the man who is genuinely a Democrat
{ should recede from his position: al the
same time there Is every reason why
! every white Southern voter who is gen
/ timely a Republican should cast his vote
for the Republican ticket
/ Twelve years ago there was not much
! regard for a Southern man who voted the
I Republican national ticket To-day some
L OF the leading citizens. for instance. Of
/ Atlanta are known as national Republi-
/ cans Now that the negro is disfran-
( chised We ought % be fair TO those Of our
Z
with the party Of Roosevelt and Taft.
Nor Is the Republican party without is
/ responsibilities in such an evolution. Mr.
I Taft can show that there IS sincerity in
] Republican speeches and intimationS. He
7 can keep the gad-fiy Of negro appoint
ments aCay from the South. and hy seek
: ing the suggestions of leading citizens in
the various sections and cities in the
+ South. can. regardless Of political lines.
I make Federal appointments which viii
i not only reflect great credit on his admin
istration but establish a propaganda for
al time.
+ The South Is bound to be slow IN any
/ radical move, and Mr. Taft viii doubtless
/ be in no hurry. In the meantime. each
] one Of us can help the nation al larEs
and the South in particular. by standing
/ TO the gun of his convictions and voting
J conscientiouslx and honestly. whether Tor
: Republican or Democratic doctrines.