The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1885-05-29
The Oolored Man in Politics.

The democratic party is the true.
! friend of the colored people, as it is
the friend of the masses, and will dc.
fend their rights against the encroach-
ments of organized capital. There
can be no conflict between the inter
ests of the masses of the white people
and the great body of the colored
people and the democratic party in
fostering the interests of theeone,
naust necessarily protect the interests,
bof the other. Now that the colored
| people know that the narrowing tales
told them by the republican politicians.
as to their tate should the democrats
get control of the government, are all
lies, they are beginning to think bet
ter Of the democratic party, and many
OF them will hereafter vote that
straight ticket:-BULLETIN.
Good That editorial, like other
utteranees OF the Bulletin, has the
true Democratic ring. And now, as
the colored people, especially in the
country districts, are coming into
their true alliance with the Demo-
cratic party, it behooves us as a party
to remember our duty. The colored
man desires and merits what the Rev.
Sam Jones calls earthly recognition"
He has had very little of it from the
republicans. On the contrary, he
has been deceived and deluded with
the idea that his political, social and
commercial salvation was condition
ed upon the continuance Of that par.
Fty in power. BY means Of this super
stition he has been kept Us a political
hewer Of wood and drawer Of water
for the republican leaders. lie is be-
ginning TO realize this fact--to tho
extreme annoyance of the republic
cans.
Let the democrats not make the
mistake that their opponents have
made on this question. Let the cof-
ored people feel that, in SO far as they
become democrats, they are entitled
to have their interests considered con-
sldered in she party, and to have n
share in the shaping of its policy. Let
them feel that they are thoroughly
at honae in tie de3SOGTaaie p arty.
The American is MT III faVsF Of ad-
vancing ignorant or dishonest men,
be they white or black, to public Of
fees, merely to curry favor with them;.
but we believe that when a mans in-
lelLectual and moral fitness for GER
taIR position has been ascertained, and
it is likewise established that he is
the choice of his constituency, there
should be no besitancy on account Of
the color Of his skin in advancing
him to Office.
The color line has for tie past fif-,
teen years been an anomaly in south
ern politics. 1t was established by
the selfsh, cynical and cruel policy
of the republican leaders during the
| infamous "reccnstrneIion" and "car-
Epetbag government era. 1t has been
kept up since then by superstition and
falsehood. 1t has driven the colored
man, natural democrat into the re-
publican ranks; andit has driven into
the democratic party many white men
who never believed in democratic prin-
clples, and who dislike and distrust
them as much as they ever did.
There has been a great change
since November last. Sectonalism
is dead. The "Dloody shirt Is buried.
Zeal OF imagined self-protection no
longer requires either the white laan
or the black man to place himself in
either the democratic or republican
party on that lssae. Political con
gtituencies are changing and are going
TO change still more. Political prin-
clples are conserving themselves, and
are going to become SIN more AfhAE
fixed and clearly defined. This is as
it should be. When party organiza-.
tions and party controversies in the
f South become solely centered upon
great political principles, then, and
not till then, viii public life attain a
,,are and healthy tone. But this de-
sirable contamination can never be
reached without a broad humanity
and a disregard Of all race preljaceS
Ia the field of politics. American.