The Omaha guide., 1936-10-10
WHY THE NEGRO SHOULD VOTE FOR
REELECTION OF ROOSEVELT
A VOTE FOR IANDON IS 4 VOTE 0 STATES RIGHTS
BY KELLY MILLER

During The free silver craze, when the Western Republicans
combined with the Southern Democrats to Kill the Federal Flee
ton Bill in exchange for their support of free silver. John N.
Langston declared that they had crueified the Negro for thirty
pieces of silver.
Today, the Republican Party has shifted its position from
the advocacy Of strong federal government TO that of defender
of states rights, unmindful of the incidental sacrifice of the Negro
by the exchange.
The exchange Of position Of the two great parties on the
issue Of Federal authority versus state sovereignty is the most
puzzing phenomenon in our political history. By this exchange
the Grand Old Party not only surrenders the basis of its histor-
ieal greatness and g%randuer, but suddenly reyerses its historic
attitude ON human rights in favor of economic exploitation.
The Democratic Party historically stood for local sovereign
jy as expounded by John {. Calhoun, the Negroes arch enemy,
and the premier defender Of human slavery. 1t was to combat
this pernicious doctrine that the Republican Party was formed.
first disputed the right Of a state to extend the institution OF
slavery without federal authorization. It then denied the states
he right to secede from the Uuion. Upon this issue it fought a
b%loodywar which took the matter Of slavery entirely out Of the
hands Of the states by aboishing it from The national domain. It
then, through the 18th amendment, made a definition of citizen
ship, defined its rights and prerogatives and expressly forbade
any state to deny or abridge the rights or privileges Of any cit
izen. ALL Of this was done primarily in behalf Of the Negro. The
G. o. ?. then appended the 18th amendment to the Constitution
%forbidding the denial Of suffrage by any state on account of race
or color. This made the Constitution, which was primarily a
states rights document prior to the bred Scott decision, a char
ter Of liberty indeed. Herein lies the chief glory and granduer
of the party Of human liberty. But now, alas, the Grand Old
Party would sacrifice It's moral b~irthright for a mess of pottage.
Although the Republican Party may prove reereant to
Is traditions, and to the eternal principles Of human liberty, it
cannot expect the Negro to follow in its reereaney. He has been
the chief beneficiary of the augmentation Of Federal power over
the provincial restrictions Of states rights. A vote for Landon,
With his strange obsession for states rights, is a vote against the
spirit, if not the letter Of the 18th, 18th and 10Th amendments
Surely the Negro cannot be expected to stultify his intelligence
or Supply his conscience at the behest of the G. O. p which once
meant the Grand Old Party Although political exegeneies
nay require him to change his nominal political affiliation, he
cannot change his political principles
Let US consider for a moment what the return Of states
rights would mean to the Negro today. The bulk Of the race re-
sides in the South whose white population has never accepted
the intent and purpose Of the 18th and 18th amendments to give
the Negro full political and civil equality with other American
citizens. Amy increase in the power or authority bestowed upon
these states would undoubtedly be used to restrict and curtail
the political rights and privileges which they have been con
strained 10 permit the Negro to exercise under eompulsion OF
federal authority.
Suppose for example, the question Of relief were left to the
Southrn states. Does anyone believe that the Negro would get
his just and equable portion4 Who would expect Mississippi
or Louisiana to award the Negro an equal portion with the
Whites unless under eompulsion Of federal authority
When the Negro wishes to secure an antilynehing law, or
relief from harsh discrimination in travel, or the right to serve
on juries, or the oblteration Of white primaries, he appeals to the
United States Supreme Court and not to the courts Of sovereign
southern states. The Scottsboro boys would have long since been
into eternity if the issue had been left to the state
of Alabama.
When the Negro voter goes to the polls on Nov. 3 let him
ponder long and well before he casts his ballot for a candidate
or party which now reverts to the doctrine Of states rights which
has been the source Of his immemorial ills.