Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1921-01-15

Guide has the right TO say exactly
what 1t has said and to take the posi-
ton which 1t has taken. Much that
1T has said In the matter of the reduc
tom OF representation should "furn.
ish food for thought" It seems to US
though that our esteemed contempor.
airy has proven too much. 1t declares
that the reduction OF representation
under the Federal Constitution would
legalize Acknowledgement and then
advances, this unanswerable argu.
ment which goes to prove beyond tho
shadow of a doubt that such q reduc.
on Of representation would not leg
alize Acknowledgement.
: Here is what 1t says: "
The right to vote, to DO citizens OF
the United States was not given the
A:ro-American people by act OF Con
gross, but by majority vote OF oil
Of the States of the Federal Union.
Tho Congress has no power, there
fore. to lega.lize the right of any State
to disfranchtee a part Of It's citizen
ship under the provision of the four
.teenth amendment, although a clause
In the article gives it power 10 do so.
The Supreme Court, we believe, would
hold our view OF the matter. that a
Qualifying clause should not be 10
construed as to destroy tho Constitu
tionaa guaranty OF specific rights. II
one State has tho right TO do it all
tho States have q right to do 1t. We
hold that mono OF them has the right
TO do 1t. Once It should be- done, and
tho Supreme Court should uphold the
law and 1t has shown In constituting
the Gvil war amendments to tho
Constitution that it Is disposed in
every instance to interpret 1t against
the rights and interests of tho Afro
American people, when these preju.
diced the rights and Interests OF white
persons.
Publishing man for -tealing from
another man, docs not take from tho
loser, tho right to prosecute this same
man again should he again steal from
him. The Fourteenth Amendment to
tho Constitution docs not provide that
where tho representation has been re-
duced OH account Of this denial OF the
right OF suffrage to any proportion OF
the legal citizens, that such a reduc.
ton takes from those citi-
IONS tho right to vote. It means
that this reduction Of representation
will continue for ten years Or less
that is,, until tho next census, when,
should the returns show that the peo-
pie whe were disfranohieed arc then
enfranchised, tho Congressional re-
presentation, which had been reduced
would be restored. But, our good
friend docs not spare others in his
general condemnation:
Representative Tinkham of Massa-
chuSetts has introduced a bill in tho
present Congress legalizing the right
OF tho South to dfBfranchise its Afro
American citizenship and to be penal
iDeh only by reduction Of their re.
presentation In Congress and tho cleo
tortal colleges. The National Equal
NetgHts TenHue, whose Headquarters
are In Boston. and has for president
Rev. M. A. NJ. Shaw and for Secre-
tary W. Monroe Trotter neither OF
whom ID learned in tho law Of the
constitution. or knows what he Ia do
Ing In this grave matter have al.
dressed letter to Representative Tink
ham, endorsing his bill and offering
any assistance they oan give In help
Ing to make It q aw.
Does tho Norfolk, Journal and
Guide propose to continue o senerhi
onslaught apon the mon, who have
been selected TO take saAws~ OF this
department OF tho vork9 Is there not
sorne way, by which this discussion OF
method and means can take place "he
hind closed DOORS" so to speakf II
may be that we, ourseivea have not
been altogether without fault in this
manner OF attack, but 1t seems to rs
that in the light of reason and In the
face OF experience. we should proa:
by past history and make some new
moves for the future.