The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1910-07-11
PROPOSED GRANDFATHER

CLAUSE
Defeated in every attempt to regain
control Of Oklahoma affairs and
hpnnded because SO much money has
been obtained from the National or
ganization OF the Republican party
the Republican state committee, toe
cowardly and too name to wage a
campaign because OF state or Nation
al legislative issues. has finally found
new scheme TO attempt 10 deceive
the people who vote In Oklahoma.
3 ut Is regarding the grandfather
clause proposed to be added to the
laws Of our state through the medium
OF the people.
The state committee has caused To
be circulated the story this clause
will disfranchise the Indians; espec'
tally those who desire to vote the
Republican ticket.
Just how those Indians who are
Republicans can be disfranchised by
a general act and Democratic Indians
TO vote is a question in law and policy
no one has been able to unravel or
TO discern the cause.
In effect and fact there can be no
Misunderstanding or failure to under
stand the socalled grandfather
clause--it is and has been advertised
10 be a plan to disfranchise the negro
voter in the state of Oklahoma.
Those fav0ring the plan should vote
yes: contrary. no.
II will not and cal mo- disffanchise
any other than negro and there are
those OF that race who will in no way
be disfranchisel by the proposed en-
actment. u
II the proposed enactment Is wrong
AMI vicious. 1t is the duty OF the Re
publican state Organization to fight
Il on Its merits or dement's. and go
56z0re the people with a statement OF
causes and probable effects. It is
non-partisan, In one sense. because
it affects certain counties OF the
state with race disputations, and ma
turally, there will be Democrats who
oppose the plan as there will be many
Republicans favofing.
the red and white men were declared
one. An amendment TO the consti-
tution, making specific change
would be necessary. No American
(, milan now a resident OF this state
was slave In 1866; possibly no
slave ever had Indian pos;erity in
our state
Tho sorondfatha.t, efa,,oo 10 raci,l
not political 1t means little In the
majority of counties of this state; in
some II Is almost a question OF rar
clal supremacy
In some counties the negro asks
not alone the right to vote but to hold
office. The proponents OF the pro
posed grandfather clause wish to ell
inmate the negro from both office
holding and voting. There should be
no descending or attempted equiv
ocation; because the issue is fairly
stated and properly understood.
II the proposed enactment is voted
into existence by the people, few neg
roes of this state will be allowed
franchise--that Is the purpose and
intent; If it fall, the people of this
state Will, by majority vote, say they
wish the negro to participate in pub
lie affairs aud hold office, sit on iur-
les, pass In law as a full and able
citizen. allowed all the rights and
privileges allowed 10 other races.
Why bring In the Indian?
The Indian and the negro, save In
three tribal instances. are long stand
ing and irreconcilable enemies.
Negro suffrage has long been an
issue. II has not. to be candid, been
solved The negro unfortunately for
him. has. ir the main failed to be
either homebuilder or home sustainer
and yet his disposition TO become a
politician first and citizen afterwards
is due to bunch OF monkey-chasing
politicians who wish to be boosted in
to office by his ballot
But that Is not to the mutton.
The Republican state central com
mittee Is seeking to convince sew
eral hundred full blood Indians their
franchise Is to be taken away. Yet,
to Do that those full-bloods had to
have been slaves. or the children OF
slaves. How many of those proud.
ancestral loving men or women would
suffer slavery without death?
Let the issues be faced Let there
be no deception. The negro who Is
told the clause does not affect him.
is being lied to; the Indian who is
told it affects him adversely Is also
bpinp lied tn II Is an omen rfrafvhf