Evening star., 1921-06-17
Editorial Digest
Southern Republican Delegates.


Cutting the southern representation
at the next republican convention by
the national committee is "a step in
the right direction" says the Balti-
more American (republican), and this
sentiment Is seconded by the ma
1ority of the country's newspapers of
both political parties. Objections are
raised. however. to the step by
Few writer's on the grounds that 1t
Is "tacit approval" of the illegal dis
reimbursement in many states Of the
negro voter.
The Springfield Republican (inde-
pendent) takes up this phase of the
question at some length: REPRE-
sentative Tinkham's effort to make
the republican party acknowledge its
un"illtngness to enforce that part of
the fourteenth amendment providing
Tor the reduction In representation of
those states in which voters are dis
iranchised for any cause except par
ticipation in rebellion is entirely
superfuous. Mr.. Tinkhams proposal
that the party shall now avow the
aoandonment In public and in an
majority might serve the purposes of
MS agitation. but nothing he suggests
could surpass in effectiveness the
tacit avowal that the republican party
has been making for a generation"
Admitting that the action of the
republican committee will get rid Of
the quadrennial menace" of the sale
at auction" of the scattered negro
vote. the Brooklyn Eagle dndepend-
ent democratic) declares that it was
not inspired "by any sentiment of
loyalty to the colored men in the
cotton states" for sentiment in the
republican organization is as dead
as julius Caesar, almost as dead as
the fourteenth mendment to the fed
eral Constitution. The New London
Day (republican) feels that "the party
has shown it's good faith in making
a forward step for higher moral
standards"
1t is in this light that most of the
newspapers. which comment upon the
proposition regard it. "The colored
adherents of the republican party in
the SOUTH" says the Baltimore Amer
lean (republican). will not suffer
loss of political rights because the
representation of the states they live
in has been reduced" and it is plain
from practical standpoint that the
drive d strong political wedge into
the SOUTH" do not intend Ito throw
away the chance" by continuing a
system full of hocus-pocus and chi
canery." In connection with this
comment, however. it is interesting
Memphis News-Scimitar independ-
enD. The negro in the south. it de-
clareS. looks to his neighbOr for every
assistance. except political. for help
here "he places his trust in his white
brother in the north
Nobody in the party can reason
ably make row." says the Detroit
Free Press independently against
policy "altogether sound and bene-
ficial." and IF the rules are lived up
to strictly. there will be an end of
rotten boroughs in the SOUTH The
sees in the plan mo menace to those
southern states in which the republic
can party is an election day reality.
for in operation it would cut down
the representation only of those states
and districts in which no consider
able number of republican votes are
cast"
Such complaint as may be raised
against the committees action Will
come. the Ann Arbor (Mich.) Times
from "old time political leaders who
have been schooled in the old-time
methods of barter and exchange OF
the convention tioor. not from the
rank and file of the party" The
Philadelphia Bulletin (independent re-
IAN incentive for whatever hope there
may be Of developing a real republi-
can party in the southern states and
although the rule is more drastic
than was anticipated, there is no in
justice in it. and it is a step in party
housekeeping that has long been
needed"
The fairness of the plan the Pitts
burgh Gazette-Times trepublican) il
Iustrates with the cases of Mississippi
and South Carolina. which are "the
worst losers" we do not recall" 1t
says. that they have assisted mate
rally in the success Of any republi-
can President" and, like any state
whose representation Is reduced under
the new system, they can increase 1t
by increasing their republican vote.
and this seems fair
The Louisville Courier Journal
(democratic) says: THE republican
managers count the more confidently
on the success of their new scheme
because they feel sure that, whatever
they do to gain the votes of the
southern whites. they can still hold
the votes of the southern blacks. And
they have the right to feel thus be-
cause the blacks have given them the
right There is nothing to cause
them the least fear that as the ne
groes have steadfastly and blindly
voted the republican ticket in the
past they will not continue to do so
in the future.