The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1885-02-05
THE RACE ISSUE SOUTH.
Grave Problems Awaiting Solution.

Grave Problems Awaiting Solution.
New ORLEANS, January 19.-The
FIRST serious phase of the race problem in
the South has been solved but its solu-
ton is likely to present another and a
graver problem, involving the two races
Of the South. After years of fretfuI
strife, made mainly by adventures whn
appealed to the ignorance, prejudice and
cupidity OF the blacks, the whites rule
the entire South, with the active CO
operation of considerable number of
the mere intelligent and thrifty blacks
end with the entirely passive assent OF
the Others. Here, as elsewhere in the
Union, and as elsewhere in every civil
cation of the world, intelligence, integri
ly and property, when combined, will
inevitable rule in the end; (; and the battle
If the blacks for political mastery, even
if honestly and wisely led, could have
attained only fitful triumphs. As it was
most cnrruptIy and unscrupulouslv led,
without fidelity to either whites or blacks,
and without respect for the interests ofpar
ty or race, defeat came speedily in disre.
gard of all the power and appliances ofthe
National Government, and when it came,
it left only monuments of shame for
friend and foe. The proAigacy aud theft
of negro rule in the South alienated the
few of the race who saw that freedom did
not furnish corn and bacon, and that
blacks, like whites, must earn their own
bread by the sweat of his brow and
Others soon learned that the bewidering
promises of adventures who organized
aud voted the blacks, we're made to the
eur only to be broken to the hope. The
result has logically been that as negroes
became Industrious and thrifty and the
owners of property, they have either
voted with the whites to assure the safety
of both person and property, or they
have retired from all participation in
politics. There is nothing novel in this
feature of the race question in the South.
The blacks of the South are employed
and fed almost wholly by the property
owners. snd they have everything to lose
by political antagonism. In the North,
and in no Northern State more than in
Pennsylvania, tens Of thousands of intel.
Iigent whites vote with their employers
for the same fate as the blacks of the
South, if they voted against the capital
that gives them labor. The same i'm
mutable law that governs the political
relations between employed in the North,
governs in the South, only it governs
much larger measure of intelligence and
pride of manhood in Pennsylvania than
in Alabama. If intelligent citizens of
any Northern State will look about them
among their own people in political
campaign, they will see the clear expla.
nation of what is called the failure of
the black vote of the South. 1t is the
question of corn and bacon in the South
II is the question Of bread and ra;ment
in the North, and that tells the whole
story.
THE RACE PROBLEM or THE FUTURE.
The political revolution that reiires
the Republican party from power after a
reign of nearly quarter of century,
will end all effort at political organiza
tion on The race line. II has been prac,
tically failure for years past, when
there were many circumstances to inspire
the hope of partial success; and now
the whole race issue perishes by the
change of national authority. To day
there is nothing left of the race organl'
za,ion in politics. There was shudder
among the blacks Immediately after the
election of Cleveland, because they
feared the ful6llment OF the predictions
of their leaders that they would be
remanded back 10 slavery; but they
already see that their leaders were delib-
erately untruthlul, and all apprehensinns
of harshness to their race because Of
change of political power have perished.
Every possible appeal was made to their
ignorance and prejudice before the late
election, as has been usual in all election
campaigns of the last fifteen years, to
CONSOLIDATE The colored vote as the only
way to defeat return to bondage; but
now Democratic success has cUme the
whites have in no degree changed their
friendly relations toward the blacks, and
there are few of the colored race so igno-
rant as not to understand that no change
in political authority can limit their
civil rights. The blacks are, therefore,
satisfactorily assured on the one question
that disturbed them, and that assurance
has taught them more pointedly than
ever before that leaders are characterless,
untruthful and dangerous to the peace
and prosperity of the coored race. And
when it is considered that the active
leaders of the colored voters in main
tanning the race issue in politics, are the
Federal officials in the South, the end of
race organization must be clearly appa.
rent to all. That there will be general
change of the Federal officers in the
South can hardly be a matter Of doubt.
Civil service reform imperaiively de.
mands it, as nine tenths of them have
prostituted their powers to the meanest
partisan or personal ends, and most of
them are conspicuously lacking alike 10
competency and character. lnstend OF
regarding public office as public trust,
they have, as rule, employed their po-
sitions not only in the most unscrupulous
way iu politics, but they have persistent
ly and systematically disturbed the bust
ness and tranquility of the South, and
inhamed the prejudices of the ignorant
blacks to array themselves against the
people from whom they must receive
employment and sustenance. The civil
service OF the Suuth, taken as whole,
has been one of the terrible curses OF
both races, and it will stand out in his
tory as one of the indelibe blots upon
the Government. 1t will now be changed
and reformed, aud that will end all race
organization in politics. The Federal
officials understand it. the blacks under.
stand it, the whites understand it, and
henceforth the blacks will generally
divide in polilics without regard to The
lines of thrift and intolerance, which
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