The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1880-03-20
NIGER vs.. WHITE MAN.

! II has been pretty general impression, we
believe, that one Of the points settled by the
war OF the rebellion was, that "a white man is
as good AS negro If he behaves himself"
According to recent decision of Judge Blod.
gctt, however, that is a mistake: a white man
Is not as good as a negro, whether he behaves
himself or not. The case was like this: There
was few weeks ago n municipal election in
the town of Elgin, IN this state, and one Of the
issues involved was the question of license or
no license. Among other industrial institutions
in that town Is large milk condensing estab-
lishment, employing many hands, under the
Isuperintendencc of Mr. Lee Borden. Mr.. b.
was an enthusiastic supporter of the antili,
ccnse ticket, and on the morning OF the cleo
ton notified the men in his employ that any
one voting the opposing ticket would be In.
stanty discharged, and several of his employees
having disobcyed the mandate were discharged
accordingly. Now this was IN sharp violation
of the law of congress against bulld0Zing,
passed to enforce the sacred 18th and 18th
amendments. 1t was such an oilensc that com.
mitted on Southern plantation, would instant
ly have set thousand northern republican
papers to bowling that the rights of the negro
are ruthlessly trampled upon IN the South aud
he is allowed to vote only as his employer d
reefs Mr. Ed. Joslyn, highly respectable
citizen of Elgin imagining that white man
is IA good as n negro therefore entered com
plant against Mr.. Borden before Judge Blodg-
EFT in the L. 5. district court at Chicago. But
it is astonishing what difference It makes, IN
the view OF our present strictly loyal" repub-
lican judiciary, when the question comes up,
whose OK is gorcd =" Judge Blodgett grayely
heard the charge, twisted his delicate nous
tache, and then, like good staunch little stall
wart Judge rs he is, proceeded to deliver his
opinion, to the effect that the citizens of Elgin
who had been intimidated being iohite men,
the 18th amendment and the statute for lis en-
forcement had no application TO them, said
amendment and statute being intended solely
for the protection of cOlored men. Now what
will strike our readers as most extraordinary
about this decision IS that it is correct; at least
as Judge Blodgett showed, it is IN exact accor-
dance with decision of the Supreme Court of
the United States, which he dared not 90 back
upon.
And such then actually and truly, Is repub-
lican law ia this country. negro is so good
as to deserve the fullest protection IN his right
to vote IN all cases, but the white mar Is not
as good as a negro and deserves no such pro-
lection. An Eastern wool or cotton manuiac-
turer, or Pennsylvania coal or iron lord, can
walk his armies of operatives up to the polls
and under pain Of stripes and instant discharge
compel them TO vote such ticket as he places
In their hands; but the owner Of southern
cotton farm or cornfield, discharging n hand
for refusing to vote his employers ticket, u
neoro. is liable to be prosecuted in the United
States courts and objected 10 heavy fine and
imprisonment If white man and negro
ON the same day, for the same oifense, enter
complain, in the same court the negro Will