The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1911-02-18
HITS THEM HARD
A Republican Senator Talk, out Plainly
on The Race Question :.
THE NORTH. HYPOCRITE

in Opposing Amendment to Resoll-
ton for Direct Election of Cnitcd
States Senators, Borah Maintains
Treatment Accorded Negro in
North No Better Than in South.
That prejudice against the negro
is just as intense in the North as In
the South and that the North plays
the hypocrite in it's contentious to
the contrary, was boldly and bluntly
asserted in the Senate Thursday by
Republican Senator.
Senator Borah, of Idaho. was the
speaker. His declarations regarding
the negro were made at the close OF
! prolonged speech, in opposition to
the Sutherland amendment to the
Senate resolution providing for the
election of Senators by popular vote
The amendment would have the ef-
feet of giving Congress control OF
Senatorial elections.
Mr.. Borah's .pronouncement on
the race question was made in re-
sponse to the recent assertion oil
Senator Root, that without the Suth'
erland provision the resolution would
deprive the Southern negroes Of Fed.
eral protection in the exercise of the
franchise. Mr.. Borah dissented
from the New Yorker's view, and in
doing SO used language which ellie.
lifted congratulations from many Sen
ators.
Mr.. Borah contendsd that as the
resolution stands, notwithstanding II
gives State legislatures control ol
Senatorial elections, Congress would
t still have the right to interfere In
protecting any citizen whose right Of
franchise had been interferred with
The Idaho Senator expressed deepsre'
gret that the race question had been
brought into the controversy and as
serted that it's Introduction was In.
tended only to imperil the resolution
/ 1T wonder how long the North is
going to play the hypocrite and the
moral coward on this question:
said Mr.. Borah, and added that that
section always had assumed moro
.wisdom and more tolerance in dea:
ling with this problem than had beer
displayed elsewhere. He insisted
that a call of the roll of the North.
ern State in which there us any
apreciable number of negroes, would
demonstrate that the North had moi
dealt more leniently with the negro
than had other sections.
"The Northern States have eXhib
tied the same race prejudice thai
has been shown elsewhere" he as
serted. "In the North we burn the
negro at the stake and there, as in
other sections, we have our race
wars. We push our negroes to the
outer edge of the industrial world
We exhibit the same prejudices, the
same weaknesses. the same intoler'
ance that is apparent in the South
land"
Mr.. Borah declared that if Con.
gress had power under the existing
provisions of the Constitution, giving
Congressional control over Senator.
ial elections, it should be exercised
"If that right exists, the North mas
the greater obligation under it, be,
cause it makes claim to it. We
assert the power. but we admit thai
we haven't had the moral courage tt
exercise it"
For himself, he denied the exist
ence of any such power, and said
that he resented such position De-
cause of the position in which Con
gress was placed by it. Concluding
he said:
"The negro has been used as
political football about as long as
our own sense Of decency and his
developing intelligence will permit
We should no longer mistreat him
but we should have the courage tc
inform him as to the real situation
1t does not benefit him to make him
the subject of our sophomore rlat'
oric. The negro has advanced to the
point where we we'll NAV dispense
with the perennial distribution oil
soothing syrup and give him solid
food In the way Of facts. We should
tell him the truth and conceal moth
ing.
"The negro is beginning to realize
that the white man of the North is
of the same race as the white man
of the South, and that in his blood
is the virus Of dominion and power
He should know, while his slave
Chains have been broken, the chains
Of industry are being forged around
him and will continue to hold him
unless he himself breaks them. This
badge was placed upon him by his
maker. and it can he removed only
hv the necro himself, with the aid
of those who have the courage to tel
him the truth, which is that we
have the power to guarantee to hin
, 80 equal protection CT the law md
| to protect him against discrim!na,
ton. To attempt anything more
,rnnld hn r11inn1iS to the cnlnrol man