The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1912-08-25

pose that it should perpetuate any par
ticular party in power, but that with It's
adoption would come the guarantee 10
the Anglo-Saxon that he could rule the
affairs of this state by peaceful means,
and no matter what party might have
control of this state for all future time
they would owe nothing for it's advance
ment to this alien and ignorant race
Whatever party might be In power here
after would carry a white mans banner
unstained and unpolufed by the political
trickster. And when the seate democratic
convention failed to niake this measure
plank in the platform, IT was not be-
cause the democrats of Arkansas do not
indoise 1t, but because they consider it
more than a mere party measure.
The adoption of this will eliminate from
the politics of Arkansas the political OPP
portunist who Is now willing to swap the
welfare of his race for the fleshpots of
political preference.
1.-THE power of the white man In Ar
kansas must remain forever absolute
and the surest safeguard to this is the
elimination, as far as IL Is possible, of
that class of voters-the negro-who
casts his ballot, in most instances, as
the highest bidder dictates. The negro
is a docile race, and left to himself
would give the white man but little
trouble, but when the white man di-
vides on political issues then In their
opposing zeal some social standard is
sure to be lowered: and to say the
least political concessions would be
made, the fIeshpots would be divided
and the negro would hold some of the
offices
This is simply history repeating IT.
self The same things have happened
in other southern states and have even
happened, in some instances, IN our
own good state of Arkansas. The negro
as wage Garner should be protected;
as a property owner he should enjoy
equal rights with the white man. In
fact. no avenue should be closed to him
in which his feet are fit to tread; but
when it comes to his encroaching upon
the political rights of the founders aud
makers of this government line
should be drawn.
'The adoption of this amendment
would be to the real interest of the
negro He would have every right UNI
der the law that we permit him to
have now. and would no longer be the
helpless prey of the political schemer
and trickster who uses him now and
forgets him afterward. There are peo-
pie who play politics and there has de-
veloped an apparent opposition TO the
adoption of this amendment to my
very great surprise. Some aspiring pol
iticians, | am told, are fighting It.
/ do not doubt their sincerity, but
do doubt the wisdom of their opposition,
and if am a political prophet, then l
warn them that If they defeat this meas
,ire they will rue the day. On the must
ings and in the turmoil and excitement
of political debate, when they oppose
this measure they may think they are
accomplishing great purpose that VIII
meet tse at<roval of the people, and
in their enthusiasm they may feel that
they have won a victory; that they like
the Little Corsican, had crossed the
bridge of Lodi; they may mistake the
noise for the sound of the guns of the
retreating Austrians, the approval of the
people; but this noise, gentlemen, Is the
shriexs of the damned the walls OF the
doomed, and instead of being the bridge
of Lodi it is the Bridge of Signs.
i'This amendment should be adopted
the supremacy OF the white race perpet-
uated forever, for the white man will
rule this country or die, and | say, let
him rule it In peace and not with strife.
And / ask any of you from south and
east Arkansas who may oppose the
amendment, what will you do with the
negro vote after the elections are con-
solidated? The fear of this consolidation
has been a nightmare In the black belt
for a generation, and at every season OF
the legislature it almost becomes law.
Now, we have been warned that con-
solidation may be expected, and the
black belt left on an equal footing with
other sections with no local power to
check the encroachment of negro DOM
nation I beg you people from these
sections to think twice before you OPP
pose this measure"