The Waxahachie daily light. [volume] (Waxahachie, Tex.) 1894-current, 1911-04-11

| deal with this subject in all its wide
spread qualifications as others have
| to deal with it, judging from what
| has happened in Colorado, in Hi
nois, and in numberless other states
of the north, we would exhibit the
same qualities, display the same
weaknesses and the same intoler-
ance that others have been chided
with exhibiting or possessing.
Secondly, l want to ask my
friends who have raised this ques-
ton of protecting the negro in the
south, and who assert that we have
the power under section 4 of Article
1 to deal with the subject, why we
do not exercise the power if we have
it? We have not only behind us in
tn northern states, in proportion
to the black population, the same
record, but in addition to that, Mr..
President, we stand before the coun-
try declaring that we have the con-
stitutional power to deal with this
question, and yet we must admit to
every black man in the north and to
every black man in the south that We
have not had the moral courage to
exercise that power. Speaking for
myself, | deny that the power ex-
tends where the exigencies of this
debate have sent it, and | resent the
proposition that for 40 years wrongs
have been committed that we have
h > i,, III thpr
we have cowardly refused to exercise
that power. To say that under Arti-
Gle /, Section 4, we can protest the
colored voter of the south and at
the same time to assert that he has
been disfranchised is either to CON
Wet ourselves of deplorable moral
cowardice or to wantonly libel the
south.
1T is fine situation, Mr.. Presi-
dent, in which the great republican
has been practically asserted in
deed, sir, it has been asserted upon
the floor of the senate that under
section p of Article / we can deal
with what is called the 'grandfath-
er clauses" of state constitutions.
Then the question arises, When are
we going to deal with them? 1t is
my deliberate opinion that we have
not an iota of power under section
4 to deal with the question of suf-
frage in any state of this union so
long as it complies with the fifteenth
to the constitution, and
whether it has or not can always be
tested under the provisions of that
alone and of itself.
The fact is, Mr.. President, that
this race question has been brought
here in the earnest hope that it
would do service in killing this res
olution. 1t is brought forward by
those who have stood in opposition
to this and similar resolutions for 80
years and who have employed every
argument, good or specious, and tax
en- advantage of every parliamentary
situation to defeat the measure.
There is not an authority = to be
found in the books which holds that
under section we have power
to deal with the question of suffrage
in the states or as against the states.
There is not the slightest foundation
for the contention that the propos-
ed change of section will modify
or weaken the provisions of the
fourteenth and fifteenth amend
ments, Both of these amendments
are complete within themselves, and
each gives congress unlimited power
to pass any act appropriate to make
effective their provisions.
1--WE have used the negro as a po-
litical football about as long as our
own sense of deCency or the Negroes
intelligence will permit
If we have constitutional power
which may be used to his advantage,
we ought to use it whenever and
wherever he is being wronged. If
we have not such power, we ought
to cease to mislead him and have
the courage to state to him the
truth.
Notwithstanding it is clearly in
timated indeed, sir. essentially as
serted-that during all these years
We have had ample power to undo
election laws which it is claimed dis
franchise the negro, Notwithstanding
it is asserted that we have the
knowledge of the wrong and the
power at our command to right it,
We have during all of this time re-
manned silent. Now that another
proposition is to be served, a true
reform throttled, we can no longer
suffer in silence.
THE senator from New York says
let the truth be told Yes let the
truth be told Let us conceal moth
ing. The truth is that the negro is
beginning to master his first great
sad lesson in his upward fight in civ
iliZation He is beginning to realize
that the white man, whether in the
north or the south, is of one and the
same race; that in his blood is the
virus of dominion, of power, That
while the slave chains have been
broken, the industrial chains are be-
ing forged. wrought of the same ma