Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1921-11-02
President Mardins's Equality speech.

rcsident HarNtnE'S speech.
delivered ut Birmingham. In so far
u challenge to the civilization OF tho
South.
Ihc 6pccch prorokcs n situation
TOO serious to he discussed under the
stress OF partisan feeling. 1, de-
inands sober reflection and ANALYSIS
by the people Of the South, ana. ma
:erF property stated by the Prcsi-
dcnt. tn" race question has become
national In scope. SO does the spccch
invite tue equally serious attention
OF the North. 1t liz OF more Immediate
concern To the people Of the South
only because fulfillment Of the Pres
i"ra'S policy would prccipitate the
question in all It's h~id"ousneas at
once upon them. while ut the North
IL might be delayed for II generation.
The PRESIDENTS policy. and II is
generally known his policy is tho plan
OF national Republican, lcadershiD
''r the np%buildins OF n strong Re-
publican pnrty organization through
our the South, an cIcarly ana uu-
cquirochlly stated by him in his
speech mt Birmingham. demands tina.
th'rc snail DO absolute equality. pnlit.
ic'!iE, cconomicailr and rnl for
both tho whites and bincks. Bevoul
this' he ~adnonishcs tho negroes not
10 aspire to Social equality with the
white people OF the South. But wh..
barriers would he impose? None. In
stead Of erecting barriers he proposes
10 tear them down. So II no legal
barrier is opposed against racial
equality, there would remain only the
iorce OF public opinion. There would
be no legal restraint.
One OF the several serious conse-
lnenceS under the plan devised by
IN" president M Ills associates.
would be that the laws of the South
crn States against Interrogation
would be wiped from the statute
books. ana the intcrinarriago of
whites and blacks could legally oc-
cur as unintcrruptcdly and plnc!diy
IN virginia AS in the Presidents own
State OF Ohio.
The proposition Is capable OF clear
legal analysis: and as Colonel Andcr-
son. the Republican candidate for
Governor of Virginia. Is an eminent
lawyer. l invite his consideration OF
the proposition as n legal statement.
1t liz not ut all abstrusc. II should
DC clear alike to those unlcarncd
In the law AZ to thoRc trained in it's
study n practice. II the negro hns
every legal right that n white man
has. and the white man has ever
legal right that tho negro has, then
the negro could legally marry n Whit
woman and n white man could lc-
sa!lH marry n ncgress: since II Is
clear that the White mun has a legal
Right to marry a white oman and u
negro has - legal right To marry Il
hcErcs6. The light OF marriage Is
n legal right, ana any law which
abrid9cs that right as between per
IONS on account of cnlor IL n law
against the rights Of legal equality.
No other conclusion can be reached
In u consideration OF the Question.
Legal equality ana political cquali-
! -. undcr oar system OF government
and aS outlined and demanded by
President linrdinE, means nothing
more nor less than the inauguration
~ An era Of social and rncial equality.
ana all the pint!tudcs OF the prcsi-
lent III counsclinE the negroes not
To aspire 10 II condition OF social
equality cannot cnacc the fact that
he would clothn them under the law
with the right TO demand and secure
that which he advises them not to
desire.
The people of tho South do not
deny 10 the negro the right OF equal
justice before the law. but equality OF
Justice Is quite n different proposition
from legal equality. Legal rights and
political right are not natural rights.
No man has a natural RICH To vote.
Eor Il natural right To marry. These
ure political and legal rights. and they
exist only undcr tho institutions of
governments. The authors OF tho Dec
inrntion of l~ndcpcndencc clearly cx-
pressed their conviction that "all mcn
are horn free aud equal referring
only to their natural rights. It is
absurd Ia presume that the authors 81
that great document. in their peculiar
environment. would have stultiaed
themselves and All their ~rrctsnsions
hy ASSERTING that all men were p0-
Htica!ly ana legally equal. :
The diGcusSiun her. ropccrnF IN,
orc OF the many Consequences which
must follow in Logical sequence il the
Presidents uctnHuCS FOR political and
legal equality ar" allowed realization
through the Indifference of the South
ctn people or h. thnir political ad-
hcsi"n. All on" laws concerning race
aggregation would become equally
aDortfr" as oar laws prohibiting mis-
ctgcnation.
md what is the force which Re-
publican supremacy at Washington, :
made secure In It's tenure o: power
ny Re~publicaniZCd ovcrnmen in
virginia and the Suites Of the South.
might next exert in ur,icr 10 compel
tho people OF tho Southern States 10
need the warning which Mr. Harding
uttered at Birmingham? Mr.. Tink- |.
ham, Republican Congressman from
SihSsa chuScttS. can give a martini
answer. During every session OF
Congress for the last three years Mr..
FinkhRm has introduced a resolution
seeking 10 reduce the congressional
representation OF The States in nc.
c~oraahce with the vote east n, cleo.
lions. anc not according to the ratio
Of population.
IT ms spurious doctrine OF legal
anu political; equality which the lie.
publican organization has dct.rn;ne1
70 champion comes to it's logical frui.
ton. We shall within another decod,
i'll the South Witness all its hiJeous
Consequences.
No contest was over won iv s.;r.
ENID VIII Colonel Anderson d,r.
10 tell Tho people that E.nuhiican
Stal" governments - Virgin, ami
hro"Sho the Sout.i wVulJ maj
eventually &" strongly fort:cv n 10.
pnhiican government a. Washuuuton
mat ii could establish social md
racial equality in Virginia as tnnr.
oushly as many years of Hcpubl;cnp
supremacy ht Washington. cnun,nL
Will RpDnh1irn .l,::