The Dallas express. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1893-1970, 1921-01-08
WILLIAM PICKENS ANALYZES QUESTION OF THE REDUC-
TON OF REPRESENTATION SOUTHERN STATES
Claims That Nth and 18th Amendments Should be Enforced

/ the black mans human and citizen
ship rights which would impress the
whole country and the world.
s. That, as a corollary or Conse-
quence of all this, 1t would tempo
rarily lessen the power of the states
which are in corrigibly opposed to the
would make 1t harder to lcgislate
against the Negro as race anywhere,
especially in Congress, and easier to
get through certain sorely needed ma
tional legislation, like anti-lynching
laws and anti-Jim-Crow laws. And IT
would give the Negro voter Of the
free statees q greater proportionate
weight against the unlawful opposi-
tion to his race.
"A AgaIDst reduction Il Is saidi
/. That is would license the South
to disfranchise the Negro by permitt-
ing II to pay the constitutional fee
2. That it would encourage other
states like Illinois, Indiana and Ohio,
where the Negro political strength Is
growing, TO get rid of 1t by follow
! ing the eXample of the South.
3. That it would eonstitutionally or
effectually decitizenize the Negro.
/ 4. 1t is presupposition of all
these objections that the disfranchis-
ing state would be permanently satis-
/ fled with the reduction of its repre-
sentation and power in the nation.
sons in favor Of reduction can stand
on their own feet while these possi-
] bilities alleged against II must de-
| pend upon the correctness Of the call
| culation that any state would be per-
manently satisfied with reduced pow.
! er. And IL any state be so determined
to continue Acknowledgement as to do
50 under de pensltty' would not t,.esu such
/ chisement If there be no penalty at
all? And would 1t not be better for
the Negro If state so determined
must have reduced power in the ma
/ m hnNUnWpr defiant
I declarations of incorrigibleness, we
must consider human nature. An in
temperate South Carolinian of the
present generation may assert that
his state will accept one representa-
{ tive before it will llow Colored peo-
pie to vote there,t~ but he can no
speak for the next generation. A flu
+ ture generation in South Carolina
would most likely refuse to cut off
its nose to spite its face, and after
4 the heat had passed and the matter
had become cold history, there would
be a reasonable attitude to allow Col
/ ored people to vote who ought to vote
! Else human nature would have to
change; for both theNegro and the
state would have an interest in his
vote.
| Let us briefly consider these OBJ
! iections How could 1t "license" the
South to disfranchise the Negro.
Could 1t be worse If G. state was made
to pay dearly for the wrong which il
| now does without paying? VIII the
South more likely become right II II
costs nothing to continue to be
wrong? What is there in human ma
ture to lead us to conclude that the
wrong doer will be more inclined to
get rid of his wrong doing when II
costs him no hurt, but much, less in
clined to be rid of 1T If 1t hurts sew
erely? These questions answer them
/ selves.
Another fear is, that If the South is
permitted to pay the price and oust
the Negro other states whose whites
may grow Jealous of his political
prestige, will do the same. But will
not those other states follow the
South's example sooner if they are
permitted to disfranchise the Negro
with impunity? VIII Ohio not follow
in, the footsteps of South Carolina
when It costs nothing, but be tempted
to follow when 1t costs dearly? In
Ale name of human nature, will o
criminal say: Since they have made
this offense a hanging crime. I think
7 will commit II lust tn ret hung? II
is our opinion that If Ohio, faced the
prospect of losing even one repre-
sentative by disfranchising its Color,
ed voters, there would be less reason
and much less temptation to disfran.
chise them. Ohio would reason like
this: If we disfranchise the Colored
people because they can elect one