Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1885-10-08

a zepsblscsn Crisicisrn Of she Enise
Hs<ues Raised.


Phiisdelphis Inquirer.
ssnator Sherman, looking about for an
ts7ue Ton the present eubsrnstcrinl cam-
paiGn in Ohio, found one In the opposi-
ton Of large body Of the southern
whites 10 permit the southern blacks to
freely exercise the right 10 vote. Cover
nor Hoadly, for the Democrats accepted
this issue, aud these two notable confess
sanfs have been making the most of it
upon the stump. The discussion they
have conducted has not been without a
certain sort of venerable and antique
interest, but the matter of itss an issue in
Q state campaign Ii wholly, If not ridicu-
iously, out Of place. If all that Senator
Sherman alleges to be true about the
wrong done TO the southern negroes is
true, II should be evident to the
most ordinary mind that the sue
cess or the defeat of the Republican
candidate for governor of Ohio will not to
any degree whatsoever either remedy or
aggravate the wrong. The question is
mot local, but national; it is not one that
any state legislature or governor can
settle only Congress and the President
cnn settle 1T, The introduction of il by
Senator Sherman, as the controlling issue
Of the Ohio campaign, and the acceptance
Of It by the Democracy, showed plenti-
tul poverty of resources on the part of
both the great political organizations. In
great commonwealth like Ohio there
should be home Issues enough TO evoke
tho interest Of the people, and political
leaders must be dull indeed who have to
20 abroad 10 find one.
That Senator Sherman has made mis-
take Ia amply proved by the reports
which come from Ohio of the political
apathy which prevails there, and espe-
cially among Republicans. Fears are
freely expressed by both organs and
leaders that the Democrats may re-elect
Governor Hoadly. Southern outrages
have grown to be very old story, and
anybody who knows anything whatever
about the south knows that both the
social and political condition of the col
ored people there is continuously i'm
proving. 80 great change as that
which the war made in the relative posi-
tions Of the whites and blacks of the
south cannot be successfully ponsum-
mated IN hurry, and 1t is not political
agitation or sectional luminosity that
70 going to reconcile the southern people
70 the great revolution that has been
wrought. The blacks were for 200 years
their slaves they were first made free by
the fortunes Of war, and afterwards, as a
matter of political expediency, they were
clothed with the highest and most valued
franchise of citizenship. By Legislative
act they were placed upon an absolute
equality before the law with their old
masters. The latter have resented the
elevation Of their slaves, and endeavor,
Senator Sherman says, to keep them in
political subsection still.
The feeling that prompts this is not
wholly unnatural, though tits indefensible.
But time and circumstances alone can re-
move 1t. The southern whites will need,
and are needing now, the help of the
blacks. They must have it, aud cannot
do without 1t. They need it to develop
their industries, and they will need it in
their politics. The vote of the southern
negro will eventually be as eagerly sought
as is that of the northern negro, and il
will be as generally polled. The south is
growing enormously in every direction.
II Is no longer amere aggregation of agri
cultural states. In commerce, in manu-.
facturing, in mining, it is making great
strides, and in whatever it does il wants
the colored people to help it, and in re-
turn for the help it receives from them il
viii be obliged to give them all they need
or ask.
The political condition of the southern
negro is probably not what it should be
butt is indescribably better than il was &C
years ago, infinitely better than it was IL
years ago, much better than it was fly,
years ago and growing better all the time
Senator Sherman knows that what els,
he should know is that if Mr.. Foraker
were 10 times elected governor of Ohio
and Hoadly as often defeated no coloret
man in the south would be the better o.
worse of in consequence. If the Repub
hcan campaign is languishing in Ohio i
IL because Senator Sherman has made al
issue for il in which the people have Blu
the most languid interest.