thus used. The fact that the colored man is
disfranchised and has no voice in the creation and administration of the
government under which he lives and by which he is taxed does not change
the situation in this respect. His presence,--whether he can vote or
not,--furnishes the occasion for the continuance of such methods, and,
as long as intelligent persons, especially at the North and particularly
in the Republican party, can be thus fooled and deceived they will not
be discontinued.

The announcement of President Taft's Southern policy, therefore, was
received by the present leaders of the Democratic party at the South
with satisfaction and delight, not on account of the official
recognition that members of their party were to receive, for that was of
secondary importance, but on account of the fact that they could clearly
see that their contention about the so-called race question was thus
given a national sanction, which would have the effect of making that
question serve them for several more Presidential campaigns. It was
giving a new market value to this "watered stock," from which they would
derive political dividends for a much longer period than they otherwise
would. They could thus see to their unbounded glee that if a man of
President Taft's intelligence and experience could thus be deceived as
to conditions at the South, they would not have very much difficulty in
deceiving others who were not believed to be so well informed.

To solve this problem, therefore, the disposition of the federal
patronage will cut a very small figure. The patronage question is not
half so important, in a political or party sense, as many have been led
to believe. It really makes very little difference by whom the few
offices are held, whether they be all Democrats, all Republicans, some
white, some colored, provided they be honest, capable, and efficient For
political, personal or party reasons some feeling may be created, and
some prejudice may be aroused on account of the appointment of a certain
person to an office; but if no attention should be paid to it, and the
fact should be developed that the duties of the same are being
discharged in a creditable and satisfactory manner the public will soon
forget all about it. The fact remains, however, that the disposition of
the federal patronage will not produce the slightest change in the
political situation in such localities. If a national Republican
administration should ref