Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1877-03-29
WASHINGTON.
From our own CORRESPONDENT.

angural address, | quote from letter
written by Professor Parkins of New
York who is travling in the Southern
States, The more I travel in the
South the more | am persuaded that
Prsst. Hayes policy of dividing the
Southern yote-both the colored and
the Whites the only policy which
can bring peace to ths South or pro-
lection to the freedmen. As it is, the
Two parties are divided by the great
chasm of caste and color The Repub-
lican party does all the work 81; raises
comparatively all of the cotton and
corn, docs all the manual labor
while the democratic party occupies
all the professional places, or is en-
gagged in unproductive idleness,'
The Republican party in the South
is a great political elephant, without a
keeper, without a leader. It is a
poor, hard working and ignorant party;
while the Democratic party is made up
of shrewed men, splendidly organized,
and every man cunning lie der.
The Republican party can out vote the
Democratic party, in most of the
Southern States, fairly and squarely
and honestly; but the Democratic par
ty can always overcome the great ig-
norant Republican masses by its extra
shrewdness. Then again, the nemb erz
of the Democratic party have time to
maneuyre in politics. have time TO
couspire; while the colored Repubi-
can has to labor in the felds--has to
raise corn and cotton enough to support
his own wife and children, and even
surplus to support the white Democrats
who live in idieness."
Now what is wanted in the South
Is some NATIVE Republican leaders who
can control this Republican vote. who
can vote it intlligently and make it a
moral and political power.
Liberty demands always two par
ties one to watch the other. But if
we are to have two parties in the South
they must noe be separated by the col
or line, else there will always be chron-
ic war between the races till one eats
the other up
1.-The fact is the white vote in the
South must be divided. There must
be- two new parties in the South, each
composed of both white and colored
votes. Then each side will watch jeal-
ously that there is no persecution, no
intimidation, no bull-dozing on the
Other side. Each side will protect its
own Freedmen, and try by kindness,
superior principles or by party integ-
ritv, to win the Freedmen from the
other side
The trouble in LOUISIANA now Is
one of caste and color The colored
Republicans who are vastly in the
majority are now tilling the fields
They raised 5000, 900 bales of cotton
last year while they only raised 1000,
900 in slave times. But the white
Democrats out number the Republican,
in New Orleans. They even threaten
and jeopardise the Republican Gov.
enor.'
"Why p
because the Democrats, not being
working class not being engaged or
their crops, have time to flock to the
city. New Orleans is full of Demo
Gratis from all over the State-so full
that if the troops were removed l dc
not think that Governor Packard
could stand an hour Packard's con
stituerts are all away in the country,
say blowing, cutting timber and clear
ing up the land for the crops which
are planted in April. They CANNOT
stand around the saloons in New Or
leans. They have no time to drill.
They have no time to fight They
barely have time to vote, and the vote
once in they go back to their pillow;
again and leave their votes and thsil
candidates TO take care Of themselves. ;
This is the situation now and vii
be the situation for the next twent,
years to come if some policy is no
carried out which will divide the PEG
pie by a different line than the colo,
line"
The South sees this. They do not
care to be divided as they are divided
They would hail any policy with JOY
that would divide the colored vote
They would even form liberal whit,
party and guarantee to protect sucf
Freedmen as should come to them-guar
antee to give them schools-guarantst
to protect them at the polls. Their
/ they say the South would be selfsoy
erning. She would police herself
She would then he able to reward bel
own patriots. punish her own criminals