The Palatka daily news. (Palatka, Fla.) 1884-1888, 1885-08-13
PALATKA, FLA, AUG. 13, 1888.
A NORTHERN VIEW OF FLOti
DA'S NEW CONSTITUTION

spirited defense of Florida against
some of her political slanderers
ain some of the Florida journals
dissatisfaction has been expressed
with the new constitution IN that
state because the counties in what is
known as the black belt are not
sufficiently protected against negro
rule.
"Northern republican papers,
commenting on this reason of Flor
ida papers for opposing the ratliica-
ton of the new constitution, say
that the position taken by portion
Of the Florida press indicates that
the new constitution was framed by
men who realize that the war is over
and the negro is a citizen.
s'I'here are some northern repub-
lican journals, doubtless, which
make q point of giving partisan
turn to everything that relates to
the south. They don't care for the
truth. What they want is some
thing that will prejudice the N nds
CT aneir readers against the southern
9pIe. OF course, no explanation
t could be made relative TO any
after of q political characte-,
uld induce such journals to 10
I sout1 justice.
Flern are other republican jou'-
nails that are simply ignorant Of tie
true condition of affairs III the south
from u political standpoint, and they
don't seem to want to know what
the truth is. 1t pIeases them TO be
ignorant on this point, because they
don't want to be out of harmony
with their readers.
at is very true that there is some
dissatisfaction in Florida with pro-
visions of the new constitution
which make it possible in certain
counties for negroes to get possess
ion of important county Offices.
This dissatisfaction is not unreason-
able. 1t does not arise from hOstll-
ity to the negro, nor a desire to keep
him out of office because he Is a
negro. There are some negroes
who are capable Of discharging the
duties of any office to which they
are liable to be called III Florida OF
any other state. The number how
ever, is very small, and in the pres
cnt condition Of Florida, or, in fact,
any other southern state, ignorant
and incompetent negroes are as like
ly to get into office as those who are
honest and efficient
''The fear that the people Of the
black counties in Florida have is
that ignorant, corrupt and noisy
black demagogues will get into the
county offices, and will not ouly
bring the counties into disfeputc
with capitalists and immigrants, but
will so mlsmanage their offices as tC
seriously interfere with the prosper
ity of the counties.
at is noticeable that in the North
ern states where the negroes are
much better educated, and in every
other way better qualified 10 assume
the responsibilities of public offices
the white people do not favor thei,
advancement to such places Why
then, should the northern Journals
be SO anxious that in the south
where the great mass of the neoroe.
are VIGOROUSLY ignorant, and being
ignorant are all the more liable e
be made the tools of designing VIII tt
men, they should he pushed into
of'oe and given the direction OF
.tr-blic affairs
''ln time, doubtless, when The
gro has become qualified to acqui
imself creditably IN the admins
'tation of public offices there viii b,
disposition anywhere to legislat,
So him. Indeed, there is nt
marked disposition TO lecislatt
against him now. 1t is against 10
norance and the evils that flow from