Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1920-10-19
Degrading Conditions that Should Be
Changed

Degrading Conditions that Should Be
Changed
mo State shall make or enforce
= any law which shall abridge the
privileges or immunities of the citi-
zens Of the United States"
This law Of the Constitution has
been and is observed by the larger
portion of the States of the Union
and disregarded by the other portion.
which has and is deriving dishonest
advantage from so doing.
A friend sends US a copy Of THE
Florida Metropolis" published at
Jacksonville under date of Oct. Sth.
Across the entire front page in heavy
type runs this headline: Revolt Plot
Uncovered" and the story accompany
ing it is based on a colored girls at
tempt to register, though but nine
teen years of age, and her alleged
subsequent confession that a number
Of negroes had threatened to kill her
if she didn't register. In connection
with this is the statement of an at
torney to the effect that he has in
formation the blacks are planning to
mass on election day and march to
the polls, which would make it i'm
possible for many of the whites to
vote.
Our friend. writing from Jackson
willie, declares that these stories are
framed up" and only serve to fright
en- the blacks. This, however, cannot
be the sole effect of such methods:
the whites themselves, as in slavery
days, are injured in their capacity for
straight thinking. This in sense is
their misfortune. but if they recognize
it as such and believe, as they claim,
that they dare not allow the blacks
full privileges of citizenship, they ex-
hibit no regret at accepting repre-
sentation in Congress for the black
population, that in large degree il
denied its rights at the ballot box.
>. One may not altogether overlook
the deplorable effects arising from
such associations and conditions, such
inculcated disregard of the rights of
those believed inferior. when consid-
ering the treatment imposed on the
Haitians. treatment which shocked
beyond expression" the commandant.
Indeed it becomes evident that
there is an intimate connection be-
tween the treatment given the blacks
Of Haiti and what may be termed
Southern color prejudice.
A man by the name Of Franck, re.
Gently returned from Haiti, tells In
the Boston Herald of American ma
chine guns firing down into the little
villages of the natives, with as much
disregard of women and children as
was ever exhibited by the Germans.
He explains: One of the factors
which / found responsible for the
conditions there was that the ma
rines were composed very largely Of
young southerners, who looked down
on the Haitian population. which is
nerly 100 per cent black, ana held
their lives very cheaply. There was
also great predominance of officers
from the South. found many very
earnest young southern officers who
were undoubtedly doing their duty to
the best of their ability: but they
took harsh view Of their duty and
placed too small value on the lives
Of black people. Further than that,
there was some hoodlum element of
young southerners among the enlist
ed men who killed the blacks for
SPORT" -
This scandal occurred -. was
kept covered for months under an
administration that is now asking
support Of its conception OF a league
of nations to regulate the affairs Of
the world and permit every down.
trodden people the privilege of self
determination"
II God had made one man good
enough to own another. that owner
could not have remained good enough
for long; the association with the
owned, the fawning Of servility,
would have undermined his charac-
ter. Those degrading influences were
very noticeable In the South In slav-