The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1885-10-29
THE COLOR LINE FADING.
The Stock-in-Tra of the Republican
Party Threatening to Dissolve.

The Stock-in-Trade of the Republican |
Party Threatening to Dissolve.
Republican platforms, orators and |
organs, for lack of any more vital and
absorbing issue, catch up John Sher-
mans rallying cry which affirms that
the colored race in the South is prac-
tically disfranchised by fraud and vio-
lence. Of course very few Republicans
lash themselves into SO hysterical a con-
dition as to aver with Foraker that the
Ku-Klux have assassinated more men
than were slain at Gettysburg, or to
allege with Hoar that ''in many of the
States of the South. enough in number
to change the result OF the election of
the President and to change the major
ity in the House of Representatives, the
Republican majority has been deprived
by the Democratic minority of its right
to vote and its right to free discussion.
These wild statements are generally
toned down, diluted, triturated, but the
average Republican is persuaded that
the negro's freedom is still grievously
restrained in the South and that live
ly agitation of the question is the policy
which will restore the Republican party
to power. 1t is fatuitous mistake.
Sherman, Hoar, Foraker and those
who echo them proceed altogether on
assumptions. They assert, but they
furnish no proof. They assume that
several of the Southern States should
give Republican majorities and they as
sumo that every colored man is neces-
sarily Republican. The last census
shows that only three States of the
Union contain more negroes than white
| persons, and every Intelligent man
| knows that the charge of wholesale
systematic intimidation is ridiculous
and false. Since carpet-bag and bay
onet rule ceased in the South the races
have been drawing more closely to-
gether. The tradition of forty acres
and mule has been exploded. The
darky is no longer apprehensive of be-
ing re-enslaved by the wicked Demo
Gratis, He realizes that he has been
duped in the past by scalawags and
thieves who plundered the State and
dishonored it The negro is shrewd
enough to perceive that his true inter
ests are identified with the prosperity
of his white neighbors; he has learned
some things and forgotten others, and
he is rapidly emancipating himself from
the irksome: yoke of adventures who
used him as political chattel in the
furtherance of disreputable schemes.
That fraud and intimidation have
been practiced in various parts of the
South is undeniable. Ear be it from
the Graphic to justify such proceedings,
even though it does not ignore the prov
ocation given by the carpet-bag plum
derers to the victims of their greed
Occurrences, of that sort, however
have been as rare during the past few
years in the South as in the North
What vexes John Sherman and hi
kind is the fact that the color line il
politics is fading away and that thu
? negro is at length beginning to cast
! really free vote instead of merely de
posting the ticket put into his hand
!, by Republican office-holder. Th
. men who are trying to revive sectiona
and race lines commit an infamou
0 crime against the welfare and happi
ness of their country.-M Y Graphic