Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1921-10-04
Senator Trinkle's Speech
lCoutinuedl

Colonel Anderson HAS CHANGED
his views as to the Constitution Of
1902, evidently to meet his politica.
aspirations of today, for in 1908 whel
introducing Judge Taft in the city o
Richmond he paid this eloquent tr;
butte to the present Constitution:
The reason, urged for the. Consti
tuition of 1902 was that The adjust.
ment of the problems which that in.
strument sought to settle would leav,
the people of this State free to di
vide. upon. economic question, anc
thus increase the influence OF Virgin;
in national affairs and promote tn
political and industrial progress 0
her people The adoption of that Con
Gtitution was the last step in the
work of 40 years which has place
the institutions of this State upon
sound basis, has secured the supre-
macy of intelligence in our govern
ment, and has opened to the people 4
all races: and all classes an oppo''
tunity to reap and enjoy the reward
Of good citizenship"
Suffrage.
As to the question of Suffrage,
there is fundamental difference be-
tween Republicanism and Democracy.
1t may be that the Constitution. OF
Virginia is drawn with too much de-
tail, and | ami mot prepared to, deny
that fact; and if IN the wisdom Of
the General .Assembly,sft Should de-.
sire to submit to the people of rh'
State question of revision, | shall
not oppose the same. 1t was. how.
aver, drawn by men Of BOTH political!
faiths. elected by the free will OF tbs
people on the idea that they were besi
fitted to serve, as members Of the Cor
,stitutional Convertion.It3was promul.
gated and adopted in accordance wit
the. wisdom of that body, and tn
only criticism that is heard of its
method of promulgation comes iron.
The Republican party, and 1T IS scarce
lv to be hoped that its. leaders Wou!e'
be satisfied, with what was done Z y
the: Constitutional Convention.
The, Democratic party means =
deal fairly with the, colored race
is principally to the Democracy OF
The State. that the coiored nopu!ato
has looked throughout the South. 10
the advantages that have been. Civ
% them during the many years
reconstruction days, and to which /
must continue to look during IN"
wears to come.
Republicanism claims to have free .
The negro, and it did play an import
ant part in freeing him so tar as
personal liberty was concerned,
from the standpoint of political slave
nv they have ever held him bound 3
shackled in serfdou. and have use
him wherever possible to the sdvar
taee of their political prefeBnent:
Democracy has never held out ia
homes to the, colored race in this re
;pect and this stand should appea +
theE1. rather than the deception ar
fraud that has been practiceG II,
by the Republican party, which no
.iaims to have at last grown tires
their political companionship to IN
,xtent that it has established
white party" and thrown out OF 7
the door the colored man in order 10
nave. as the white Republicans say;
- house-clcaning of their politlca.
followers. r.
1902 deliberately drew its suiffase
.lause for the purpose of restricting
negro suffrage as far as the Con,
.t;s,,t;or of the United States would
,llow it to do 50, and because, IN
,;dontal to that, some few of the IL
jteratc white men were denled TN
.;oht of ballot, the Republicans nave
,ever ceased to take advantage 0,
his situation, to the "disparagem;ens
however. of their own party, ana =
he injury of the peace OF the otate
# large. ] should say that fully
1er cent or more of the white peopE
# Virginia who have cared TO reg
ster have been permitted, under pur
laws. so to do, and that IKE proper
ion of the unregistered whites ca"
register if they will. -.
In one breath the Republican party
suffers anxiety over the negro IN OF
der to retain, if possible, his SUI
rage; in. the other, they dellberatel!
,,;rt him out of their convention as
;anbled in Norfolk in July last;
Col. Anderson and his party .oolee'
;erjously to the payment OF the ~
AK as a prerequisite to voting, wh1c
Az | might remind him, is used solE
" for public school purposes, ana,
therefore, for the enlightenment ana II.
educational Improvement OF our cru
zenship. His party would do away
With this requirement, along WIN
,ther prerequisites for voting thus
showing wide open to the unedueat-
ID and ignorant negro the broad door
# our political life. and seriously
nenacing white-man supremacy N
he. "black belt of our State, ana
,,.obablv in other portions as well.
The Tirginian Pilot says that;
..With poll tax, advance regIstra.
linn. educational tests, all swept
away, the way would be clear for
f.eturn of the dangerous political era
% which precisely these laws put an
md. There should be no mistake IN
Democratic ranks as to the dlreclLoN
| m rrOY NOV