Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1920-04-10


to form. Having set out to promote
his candidacy for Governor by OK
peuing the Socialist Assemblym6n In
Proof Of his militant 100 per cent.
Amdricanism:" Speaker Sweet was
obliged to see the thing through, In
sIite Of the protests Of bar associat
IONS and of tho ablest and most ro
Sponsible members OF his party.
1t Is not difficult for Speaker to
carry out such a programme. He APP
points the committees and Is the
master Of legislation. No member
who offends him IL likely to receive
ouch consideration on local bills,
which IRE often the measure of his
value to his constituents. and SO the
fiat Of On arbitrary Speaker easily
becomes law.
That Is what happened ut Albany
and by the irony OF fate Mr.. Sweets
was contaminated oil
All Fools Day.
This Is drastic language but the
New York World. one Of tho most In
fluentiai Journals In the United
states Is responsible for the use Of
1t. 1t continues:
Tho Constitution Of tho United
States guarantees to every State "a
republican form of government
That form Of government has ceased
Tor tho time being TO exist In Now
York There can be no republican
form of government when minority
parties are arbitrarily outlawed, whcl
representation Is denied, when legal
~ elected and legally qualified mem
bers of tho Legislature ore expelled
because their political principles are
;lfensive to tho majority, when whole
constituencies arc arbitrary a1sffal'
hised because they refuse to vote the
way somebody else thinks they ought
to vote.
Tho Constitution Of tho United
States does guarantee to every state
Republican form of government
,ut this guarantee has been nullifl-
ID in practically every southern
State for moro than decade. This
nation could not exist one half slave
Md tho other half free and it cam
OF exist one half DISTINGUISHED ana
,he other half enfranchised. In the
:nguage of the New York Wor''
"That form Of government has ceased
or the time being to exist in other
States than Now York. There can be
40 Republican form OF government
IN any State. North or South when
minority parties are arbitrarily out
,lwed, when representation Is donied
Colorcd people aud white people
aave boon the victims Of just this
Kind OF treatment.
1t occurred In the southern States
n yesterday. 1t Is occurring IN
northern ones today" What are
you going to do about 1t? The Now
York World says further:
This Ia the negation Of republican
government In effect 1t sets Up the
pnincsple khnt nIinorSties have no
lights that majorities are bound u
.cspoct, that all constitutional creme
,ies arc denied to them and that they
,nust resort to violence for the pro
notion of their political beliefs ana
f,r tho redress OF their grievances
Ioyen tho Kaiser never wont as lar
v, Sweet has gone. Even the Prus'
inn Junkers were never able TO
throw the German Socialists out or
he Reichstag.
The action of tho Assembly makes
tho re-establishment OF representa-,
tive government the vital concern OF
very man and woman In New YORK
who believes IN American institu-
tons and Is determined to main
ain them. Under tho law there Will
70 no special elections to which the
>xpelled Assemblymen can appeal,
nut there will be general election
IN the fall, and so far as Tho World
!; concerned 1t intends to support
i,ese Assemblymen for reelection.
During all the years of its existence
his newspaper has been uncompro-
E.isingly opposed to Socialism both
IN theory and in practice; 1t remains
lncompromisingly opposed to Social
'sm both In theory and in practice;
nut tho political and economic beliefs
" these five men have now become
If no Importance In relation to the
vital issue that Is raised by their OK
pulsion.
If the people Of New York are TO
"etain their free institutions, If they
ne not to be Russianized by their
'tupid politicians their first con-
.crn must be the restoration of re
preventative government which was
,verthrown yesterday in Albany by
the Assembly.
S~a,r. 49, - So *T'"''-
This Is a ringing call to duty. The
New York World has taken high
ground and no justice loving citi-
zen of color can fail to heed it's ap.-
peal. Right here in Richmond, col
ored American citizens are being
barred from participating in Republi
can primaries" by so-called Ropub
iican white leaders and from the
democratic primaries by white Dem
ocratfc leaders. They are strangers
in midst Of their home folks so far