Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1920-04-17

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fiat Of an arbitrary Speaker easily
becomes law.
That is what happened at Albany
and by the irony OF fate Mr.. Sweet s
programme WAS contaminated on
All Fools Day.
This is drastic language but the
Now York World, one Of the most in
fluentiai Journals in the United
States is responsible for the use Of
1t. 1t continues:
The Constitution OF tho United
States guarantees to every State "a
, republican form OF government"
That form OF government has ceaRaa
for the time being TO exist In New
York There Nn be no republican
| form OF government whom minority
parties are arbitrarily outlawed when
; representation IL donied, whom legBi
ly elected and legally qualified mem
bel8 OF the Legislature arc expelled
because their political principles are
a.! Offensive to the majority, whom whole
a., constituencies are arbitrary dfsfran'
chised because they refuse to vote the
way somebody olss thinks they ought
{ to vote.
The Constitution of the United
States does guarantee to every S<ate
a Republican form of government
but this guarantee has been nullifi
cd in practically every southern
State for moro than n decade. This
nation could not exist ono half slave
ard the other half FREQ and 1t can
lot exist one half diafranohiBcd and
the other half enfranchiscd. In the
|. nguage OF the Now York Wor'
"That form Of government has ceased
or the time being to exist In other
States than New York. There can ID
no Republican form Of government
la any State, North or South WHOM
minority parties are arbitrarily out
lawed, when representation is denied
Colorcd people and white poopie
have been the victims CT just this
kind OF treatment.
It occurred in tho southern States
On yesterday" 1t liz occurring III
northern ones today" What are
you going to do about it? The Ne"
York World says further:
Of
government in effect 1t sets up tine
principle that minorAios nave nc
rights that majorities are bound tt
respect, that all constitutional neme
dies are denied to them and that 1heS
must resort to violence for the pr.
motion of their political beliefs ane
for the redress Of their grievances
Even the Kaiher nevor went Rs fa'
as Sweet has gone. NVen the ffae
a,an Junkers were never aDle u
throw the German Socialists out O.
the Reichstag.
The action Of the Assembly make:
tho re-estnbliyhment OF representa-
tive government the vital concern O
every man and woman In New YORK
who believes In American inatita
tons and is determined to main
tain them. URdor the law there vii
be no special elections to which th'
expelled A&emblymen can appeal
but there will be general election
in the fall, and so far as The Worlt
Is concerned it intends to supper
tneae ASscnblymen for reelection.
During all the years Of It's existence
this newspaper has been unc0mpro
T. .;singly opposed to Socialism botl
IN theory and i'll practice; it remain
uhcompromisingly opposed to SOFIA
ism both in theory and in practice
but the political ana economic belief
Of these five men have now becorn
OF no importance in relation to tn
vital issue that is raised by their G.
pulsion.
If the people Of New York ere |,
retain their fee iR6t'itW ions, if the,
, ale not to be Russianizcd by thei
stupid politicians their first con
, otrn must be the restoration OF re
preventative government which wn,
overthrow yesterday in Albany J.,
the Assembly.
This is a ringing call to day. Phi