Philosopher Elkins takes a wholesorm view
of the so-called negro problem. According
to Ids view, the government did all it could
do wlum it insisted that the. states should
confer tho privilege of suffrage on tho ne
groes. It could not arm the race with in
telligence nor could it equip it in other ways
necessary to its welfare. Therefore, as
rhilosopher Elkins puts it, the inevitable
result was that ignorance and poverty “had
to go down before intelligence and wealth,
as it had always done the world over.”
This might have In on put more, ftccurnt- ly,
but it will do; nevertheless, it is well to re
member that, while there was plenty of in
telligence at the south, there wa»a conspic
uous lack of wealth. Mr. Elkins goes on
to say:
In theory 00*1 practice, !n the Interest of the
healthful progress and purity of free government,
of its safety and preservalion, every clti/A n sa ultl
be protected Jn nil his lights, should bcuble tu vote
ns ho desires, and hia vote should Io counted ns
cast. This uanuot be denied. But to attempt to
change the situation In the s nith by federal law
has not succeeded; to try to etlei I it in the interest
of tlie black man by oulsido agitation has proven
UEtikHS. So long ns political pariiui»«fa ( iivi.iu. t in
the south on the lines they are, and the people,
both black and white, are made to believe every
thing d«*| ends on the whites being in one party and
the blacks in another; so long as pn ‘u lice, pa sh n,
hate and revenge shall be ex.c -ur. • <1 by *-i i. h
leaders for their own aggrandizem- s t, the f.u a on
Im)tween thoraces in the south wili remain un
changed.
