Mount Vernon signal. (Mt. Vernon, Ky.) 18??-current, 1918-01-04
DEMOCRACY BETRAYED BY
THE SOU eli.

Section ? of Article XIV. Cf
the Constitution of the United
States provide that:
Repre- Senta,ives Shall be APP
pointioned among the several
States according to their respec-
tive numbers. counting the
whole number of persons in
each State, excluding Indians
not taxed. But when the right
to vote at any election for the
choice of electors FOR President
and Vice-Pr, sident of the United
States, Representatives in Con-
gress, the Executive and Judicial
officers of a State or the members
of the Legislature thereof is de-
med of any of the male inhabl-
tants of such State, being twen-
ty-one yeats of age and citizens
of the United States, or in an,
way abridged except for partici
patton in rebellion or other crime,
the basis of representation shall
be reduced in the proportion
which the number of such male
citlZans shall bear to the whole
mum Der of male citizens twenty
one years of age in such State.
This provision of the Cons'itu'
tin. together with the Fifteenth
Amend mcnt, declaring that the
right of ciiiz,ns f the United
States TO vote shall not be denied
or abridged on account Of race,
color or previous conditions Of
seryitude,, has beerA r1lhfied
sine the Hayes Administration
withdrew the Federal troops
from the Southern States ?
For forty years the right OF
negro citizens to vote in South
has been persistently denied ara
the penalties provided by th'
Constitution has rever been en-
forced. 80 Southern State has
ever suffered reduction IN its
representation through its retusa
TO permit negroes 10 vote, al
though the provision of the Con
stitution is mandatory upon Con
gress
This misrepresentation whiel
the south hls- held for more
than generation it owes to ths
Northern Democrats who have
protected the Sou,hern State
from a punishment which Demo
Gratis IN general have deemed
gross Infringement upon tn,
sovereign right Of every State t.
regulate its own affairs. But tn.
Southern States are now prepar
ing 20 aclriosce il such infringo
ment AID to nulify the princlpk
of Local self government TO whicl
the Democratic party has tena
ciOusly adhered since the time o
Jefferson Their Senators ant
Representatives in Congress
have already voted for such nul
liA2i0n in the resolution sub
hitting 10 the Legislature of Nc
several States the prohibition
amendments So the Constitution
Of the United States, and practi
cally all Of the Southern Legisla
lures are expected to ratify it
Without the votes of the South
ern Senators and Representa-
tives this resolution could no
have been submitted; without tn,
votes of the Southern Legisla
lures the amendment cannot be
adopted. Nation wide prohibi
ton, If it comes, will be imposed
by States which have turned
their backs as squarely upor
their ancient principles of gov
eminent as the Russian Bolshe
Wiki have turned their back upor
the obligations of democracy.
When that day arrives tn,
Sout can expect no more hell
from Northern Democrats in re
sisting the enforcement of tho
Fourteenth and Fifteenth Amend
ments The cry, mo Fore
Bill No Negro Denomination
will fall upon deaf ears. II the
South is determined to hav,
centralized Government thai
regulates the sonal habits Of
the American people, il mus
accept a centerdlized Govern
mvnt tina. regulates negro iran