The Brandon news. (Brandon, Miss.) 1892-1961, 1911-03-02
BORAH BARES SCHEME.

The speech of Senator Borah, OF
Idaho, on the resolution provid-
ing for the election of United states
senators by popular vote, is
worthy of serious consideration.
Ii it developes but the one fact, that
the negro is given the equal consid-
GRAFTON in the south that he is in
the north, will have accomplish
cd much. Coming from a Repub-
iican senator, representing a north
ern state, the speech willcommand
all the more attention as to the at
titude towards the colored race
displayed in various sections. His
address was singularly forceful,
presenting to the senate the truth
of the situation in manner to give
that body a shock such as it had
not experienced in recent years.
He was speaking in reply to Sen
ator Root, of New York; Curtis, OF
Kansas; Carter, of Montana and
other representatives of the inter-
ests that prey, and who are en-
deavoring to hamstring the pending
resolution with an amendment that
will deprive it of the support of
the southern members. He demon
stated that northern politicians had
long mainland position OF hypro-
crisy and moral coWardiSe with re-
spect to the negro question, and
proved conclusively that the north
gives the black man no better treat
ment than the south, if as good.
1t might be we'll, in this respect,
and in connection with the senator's
frank exposure of the situation, to
consider the relative enormlties OF
one alleged crime, the partial dis
reimbursement of the negro in the
south, and the certainty of another,
his wholesale bribery and deceit by
the white politicians in the north.
The moral effect is certainly great
er in the latter case.
1t is a patent fact, as pointed out
by the senator, that the northern
Republicans have obained from
their own conduct no right to
charge the southern Democrats
with race discrimination. The mis-
treatment of the negro in the north,
and there are many instances OF 1t,
both in the matter of the franchise
and others arising upon social
crimes, has, ii anything, been worse
than any repression the south ever
attempted. The crime and lawless-
ness of many northern mobs IN ca
ses of blacks accused of one heinous
crime are matters of frequent re-
port. The senator pointed out in an
unsparing way that for forty years
the Republican party in the north
has charged the south with mis-
treatment of the negro and never
in that time has attempted to bet
ter his treatment.
The old cry Of slavery is raised,
as he stated, with force and truth,
not to benefit the condition of the
negro in any way, but to perpe-
tuate a system that makes only for
special privileges and corruption
in the election to the greatest body
in the world. The whole scheme
is one of the false pretence, design
ed to mislead the sentiment OF both
whites and blacks. Should the re-
solution be defeated the ranters
against domination of the negro
would conveniently forget him, as
they have done for the past 80
years.
The direct election of senators
does not curtail in the slightest de-
gree the power of the federal gov
eminent to protect all citizens IN
the rights guaranteed them by the
constitution. But, as Senator Borah
showed, the constitution leaves to
the state the determination OF the
qualifications of it's own voters, be-
yond power of federal interference.
Possibly the greatest crime
against the electorate OF the whole
nation, which Senator Borah's ad-
dress suggests, is the use OF the
negro vote through debauchery IN
the south to influence the election
of delegates to the Republican ma
tional conventions.