Franklin's paper the statesman., 1911-02-25

OF the power of the states or of the
individual voters in the states to con-
stitute member OF this body the
second part Of this resolution would
rob the government of the United
States OF the power to make those
preliminary dispositions regarding cleo
tions necessary for the enforcement OF
the amendments"
He administered a sarcastic rebuke
to Senator Percy of Mississippi. who
had said that the extension of the
power Of the federal government as
provided by the Sutherland amend
ment is price greater than the south
Is willing to pay for the election OF
senators by the direct vote of the peo-
ple." by telling him that "the time has
not yet come when the reople Of this
nation are entering the market place
to buy from them or from any of them
the right TO preserve and protect by
the exercise OF our own national power
the government OF the United States
under its constitution"
But II was in answer to question
by Senator Bacon of Georgia that Sen.
ator Root spoke with such certainty
and much emphasis Mr. Bacon want.
ed TO know what were the things to
which Mr.. Root alluded In part Of
his speech when he said that there
We're things happening In the southern
states which the southern states ought
not TO permit and which. II the south
ern states do permit, the national gov
e-nment should correct and prohibit
Mr. Root gave the answer TO Mr.. Ra-
con In unmlstakable language. He
sail:
Mr.. President. the senator from Georgia
will recall that | was discussing the sur
render by the government OF the United
States of the power necessary effectively
to enforce the fourteenth and fifteenth
amendments. Those amendments were
designed TO give 10 the black men Of the
south protection through the exercise OF
the power that rests in suffrage The
power - self protection was one OF the
great moving considerations OF the four.
Sir. .Nerc have been in the southland
my rcssarks are limited 10 the south. be-
cause - Is there that the questions arise
under the fourteenth and fifteenth amend
rents. and for-no other reason. and I ac-
companicd II. the senator will remem-
Der. by frank admission that there are
many things done In the north also which
call for the reservation Of the same power
on the part of the national government
there have been in the south lynchings
which | am sure the senator from Georgia
deplores as much as | do: there has been
peorage which l am sure he dcTlorc.
equally with myself: there have been H.
troduccd into the constitutions OF the
southern states clauses which are grouped
under the general description of grand
father clauses" and which are apparently
adapted TO limit the operation OF the four
teenth and fifteenth amendments.
Mr.. President. the people OF the United
States are willing apparently to hold their
hands and TO give godspced TO the people
OF the south In working out the great
and difficult problem that is before them:
but. sir. II II should come into tho mind
or the people OF the United States that the
protection OF the blacks. which was de-
signed In these amendments. Is not being
securcd-if 1t should come that the people
or the United States are convinced that
injustice and oppression are being visited
upon them. then the great reserve power
or the national government to enforce in
tull the fourteenth and fifteenth amend
ments VIII be exercised and ought TO be
exercised. So long as the people OF the
routh are working out their difficult prob
lem In Kindness TO the blacks so long the