The Madison daily leader. [volume] (Madison, S.D.) 1890-current, 1909-03-04

and the development of q 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.
l 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 change In the electoral vote of
the southern states. That is second
ary consideration. What I 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 po-
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,
its 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 or
southern legislation today Is toward
the enactment of electoral qualifica-
tions which shall square with that
amendment.
No Repeal of Fifteenth Amendment.
OF course the mere adoption OF
constitutional law Is only one step In
the right direction. 1t must be fairly
and justly enforced as well. In time
both will come. Hence 1t Is clear to
all that the domination of an ignorant,
irresponsible element can be prevent
ed by constitutional laws which shall
exclude from voting both negroes and
whites not having education or other
qualifications thought to be necessary
| for a proper electorate. The danger
Of the control of an ignorant electorate
has therefore passed. With this change
| the interest which many Of the south
ern white citizens take In the welfare
Of the negroes has increased. The col
ored men must base their hope on the
results Of their own industry, self re-
straint, thrift and business success as
well as upon the aid and comfort and
| sympathy which they may receive
from their white neighbors OF the
| south. There was time when north
erners who sympathized with the me-
gro in his necessary struggle for bet
ter conditions sought to give to him
the suffrage as a protection and to en-
II IOINc itc CAClSiSC d8aAAA6L tnC RACs q A.
ing sentiment Of the south. The move
ment proved to be failure. What re-
| mains Is the fifteenth amendment to
the constitution and the right to have
| statutes of states specifying Qualifica-
tions for electors subjected to the test
| of compliance with that amendment.
This is great protection to the negro.
/ l~s, lnA nA
ought to be repealed. II it had not
been passed 1t might be difficult now
to adopt it, but with 1t In our funda-
mental law the policy Of southern leg
islation must and will tend to obey 1t,
and so long as the statutes OF the
states meet the test OF this amend
ment and are not otherwise In con-
fiict with the constitution and laws of
the United States 1t is not the disposf-
tion or within the province Of the fed
eral government to interfere with the
regulation by southern states of their
domestic affairs.
"Negro 10 Now American"
There Is in the south stronger feel
ing than ever among the intelligent,
well to do and influential element in
favor Of the Industrial education OF
the negro and the encouragement OF
the race to make themselves useful
members of the community. The
progress which the negro has made IN
the last fifty years from slavery, when
it's statistics are reviewed, is marvel
GUS, and 1t furnishes every reason to
hope that In the next twenty-five years
still greater improvement In his con-
dition as a productive member Of So
ciety, on the farm and In the shop and
In other occupations, may come. The
negroes are now Americans. Their
ancestors came here years ago against
their will, and this is their only coun-
try and their only flag. They have
shown themselves anxious to live for
It and to die for 1t. Encountering the
race feeling against them, subjected
at times to cruel injustice growing out
Of Il, they may well have our profound
sympathy and aid in the struggle they
are making. We are charged with the
sacred duty of making their path a.
smooth and easy as we can. Any
recognition Of their distinguished men,