The national forum., 1910-09-10
THE REPUBLICAN PARTY AND
THE SOLID SOUTH.

E1E SOLlD oOO II.
The popular idea that the President
can do everything and Congress any
thing, gets bump when the question is
asked. How can This Be Done|
There have been numberless methods
suggested for the publication of the bal
lot in the South, though most of the So
called remedies are more punitive than
curative, and progressive politics do not.
include methods Of punishment in their
expression or activity One will vaguely
tell you that Congress can correct the
evils, another will say that courts should
give remedy and relief None seem able
to definitely form plan OF remedial
action that is not anarchistic in nature
and tendency, nor to appreciate the
limitations which the Constitution of the
United States sets upon the general gov
ernment. particularly in its relation to
the States ~
Gin these days there is disposition
to look too much to the Federal govern
meht for everything. | am liberal in the
construction of the Constitution with
reference to Federal power, but / am
firmly convinced that the only safe course
for us to pursue is to hold fast to the
limitations of the Constitution and toI
guard as sacred the powers of the
States"
When the President spoke these words,
he was not discussing politics in the
South, he was talking Conservation in
Wisconsin, but they fit the case so well
that | give them here. Each State is
absolute in all that concerns itself, and
some claim that the State is supreme
and the general government has only
such powers as the State may delegate to
it. However, the will of the people is
the law, and all reforms must begin in
the spirit of the citizens and finally be
expressed in the laws of the State.
In each national election in the past
few years the most progressive States
have been found solidly amayed against
those who hold to suppression OF the
fundamental law of the land These few
States have been called Democratic. When
these Democrats cease their evil practices
and present to us some ideas containing
means and efforts toward good govern
ment. then we may consider and endorse
them and act with them.
What shall we do to be saved?
To show what interest our campaign of
education is awakening we publish the
following letter from a correspondent who
writes under the good fighting name of
"Crusader:H
Mr. Willis;
IN last weeks issue, your article, @The
Colored Voter and the Democratic
Farty, closes with this paragraph;
SO suggest that we work within the
ranks and help turn the rascals out and
replace them with good Republicans, VINO
will march along in the Army OF Prog
ress. First of all we must organize our
forces"
How can you work within the ranks
and turn the rascals out when the ranks
are commanded by rascals? To work
within the ranks, you must obey orders
and orders are given by commanders, and
the commanders, i say, are rascals, in
that they have proven false in every
pledge they have made for the last twenty
years. The good Republicans have been
sienced or crushed just because we have
followed similar suggestions as yours for
the last twenty years. You say that
fFirst of all, we must organize our
forces.' Do you call horde of auto
nations. forces? OF what effect would
organizing automatons have? Take the
present situation for example. Mr.. Taft
is looked upon as the leader of one fac
ton OF the Republican party---our mod
ern Cagliostro is attempting to usurp the
lead OF the other, Suppose our modern
Cagliostro succeeds in being proclaimed
the leader of the insurgents; what ranks
would YOU advise us to work in2 Mr.
Taft favors dsfranchisement. and says
that he will not appoint colored men toI
Office in communities where there is OBJ
lection. our modern Cagliostro used his
pen to publish to the world an Infamous
Tie regarding the colored soldier in Cuba
he used his pen to disgrace nearly 200
colored soldiers. and to show the work
ines OF his ungrateful and cowardly heart
he waited until after the election to pro-
mulgate his Infamous order Shall We
work in the ranks for either of these
men? Every Republican National Con
yention. for the last 90 years stands as a
monument of perfidy to the colored voter
Yet. in the face OF these monstrous
wrongs. we are advised to ''work in the
ranks" Jews do not serve in the ranks
of any one party--lrishmen do not-Ger.
mans do not--Italians do not; no other
people but ours do. 1t is time to stop
it, and that growing element yon speak
of intends to stop it if there is an ounce
of reason in the brain Of the present and
coming colored man. To be the slave OF
one party and the foe Of another is
ignorant and fatal politics 1t is as
much our duty to defeat enemies in the
Democratic party as it is in the Republi-
can party and that we intend to try toI
do CRUSADER
Here is food for thought. will com
ment later. .,
Would Vote for the Devil.