Evening star., 1927-03-23
Texas Primary Law Decision
Debated on Several Grounds

fiuence the election that way" The
Atlanta Constitution Democratic)
adds that whatever changes in State
primary laws the decision may make
necessary will be made with the view
of preserving white supremacy. This
will always continue. as now, but
under laws that will be constitu-
tional." AS to the question of throw
ing open the white mans primary,
the Abilene Reporter independent
Democratic) AYERS that "the people of
Texas and the South will not tolerate
any such condition"
**
THE distinctions in the South
which keep the negro from voting are
in no sense legal, but sociological"
declares the Danville Register .dnde-
pendent Democratic), with the conten-
ton that "the negro has no place In
Southern politics, and never has had.
and doubtless never will have.
Even in the North the negro takes no
interest in politics. he does not think
politically, and the force of precedent
against him is an insuperable bar
rier." The Columbia Record Demo
cratic) adds: Practically speaking,
the negroes have not often entered
the Democratic primary in this State.
for the obvious reason that they are
not Democrats. Such being the case,
they are automatically not qualified
to vote there" The Norfolk Ledger
Dispatch remarks that Comparatively
few colored persons have ever sought
to vote in Democratic primaries In
Virginia"
The New York Times independent
Democratic) holds that the Texas law
was quite needless" that there
1 n ha nnnffUI1 naYanara Ia
in Texas to trouble the party mana
gers" With this statement the
Houston Chronicle independently is in
agreement, land most Texans" it
remarks, marvel that 1t was ever
put on the statute books by legis-
lative body familiar with the Con-
stitution." The Dallas News dnde-
pendent Democratic) adds that 1.-The
specter of negro domination in Texas
is utter foolishness. 1t is likely to
become more and more foolish as the
proportion of white population con-
tinues to rise The News, however,
feels that lit is not unlikely that the
advocacy of the convention method
will have gained ground by reason of
the reaction to the Supreme Courts
ruling. In this connection the Port
Arthur News independent Demo
cratic) points out that three of the
nine members of the Supreme Court
are old-school Democrats. Mercy
noids was born in Tennessee, Butler
In Minnesota, Brandeis in Kentucky.
All nine of the justices, full member.
ship, voted to knock out the Texas
statute"
The st. Joseph News Press Gnde-
pendeno states that 'in this decision
Is seen the possibility of further en-
croachment OF Federal authority upon
the natural functions of the State"
The Rock Island Argus INDEPENDENT
asserts that 1.-The extension of the
powers of the Federal Government
over the internal affairs of sovereign
States is becoming q menace" On
the other hand, the Duluth Herald
independently, taking into account
both the Texas law and the cases
where spending in the primary con-
tests exceeds the speed limit fixed bv
national laws" says that mo cry OF
State rights can be anything but
humorous in this connection. for a
States right to keep people from the
polls because of their color, or to let
unprincipled politicians spend money
like water to control elections cor.
ruptly, are not rights that anybody
is bound to respect
AT Washington they are piaued."
remarks the Louisville Courier
Journal Democratic) by the courts
dictum that inviolable civil rights go
back of the general election to the
business of choosing candidates. This
is theory that they can't ouite
square with the 5-to-4 decision I'm the
Newberry case. Senators-elect
Smith of Illinois and Ware of PennsvI.
vanfa are interested in that. The on
position to their taking their seats
rests on the manner and methods of
their nominations. They were denend-
ing on the Newberry opinion to sIn-
port their contention. Now
the Supreme Court recognizes
primary just as if it were an election" :"
The Lexington Leader Republican,
Winston-Salem Journal dndependent
Democratic). Santa Barbara News
independent Democratic), Christian
Science Monitor independent. Chi.
cago Tribune independent Rep,IbIi.
CAM. New York Sun independent and
Reno Gazette Republican also And
support in the decision for Federal
Jurisdiction over primaries. In on.t
position to this view the Pittsburrh
Gazette Times Republican argues
The sense of the opinion Is thai
while States may regulate primaries.
their regulations may not be discrim'
inatory on account Of race" A sim.
ilar stand IL taken by the Farra
Forum Republican).