The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1888-01-28
THE SOUTHERN NEGROES
a emitting Rebuke OF Malignant Parttsans
and OfFire- se eksrs.


and Onice-seeksrs.
Il seems strange to find the New
York Times taking prominont stand
in defense of the South against the
charge of suppression Of the colored
vote, and yet this able journal, at one
time foremost among those whose
abuse and denunciation Of the election
methods of the South was character
lied by partisan hatred and sectional
the most striking protest which has
yet appeared in any Northern paper
against the bloody shirt policy of the
Republicans for 1888.
The Times is Republican paper,
but is generally very fair one. Its
criticisms are open and franz, and its
course is not controlled by the lash of
its party. 1t believed Mr.. Blaine to
be a corrupt man and Mr.. Cleveland
an honest one, and it supported the
latter for the Presidency. 1t did not
sever its party alliance. but has since
stood with the organization of which
it was for many years the chief organ.
In outlining it's policy for the next
campaign, the Republican party has
clearly determined to make the al
legged suppression of the colorcd vote
in the South one of its leading issues.
On this the Times has column ed
itorial, which is an admirabl" produc-
ton, and should commend itself to
the fair-minded voters of all parties. 1t
says:
Those Republican politicians who still think
there is capital for the + party In keeping up
sectional agitation and firing the Northern
ncart with Southern outragcs are trying dcs.
perately to make an issue OF the alleged sup
preston OF the Republican vote In Southern
States The difficulty which eonfronts them
lies in the fact that the Northern people want
no more sectional agitation. and are entirely
willing to leave the elections in Southern States
to the control OF the people Of those States.
Speaking of the outrages of the Re-
publican carpet-baggers who overran
the South after the war, and of the
causes which prompted the necessity
of counteracting the evils of their das
tardly regime, in which they ran
rough shod over the people by their
control over the negro vote, the Times
says:
Unprepared to exercise intelligently or con-
scientiously their newly acquired rights, the
negroes fell under the leadership OF unscrupu-
fous men and were arrayed against the people
who had the largest interest in the good order
and good government of the reconstructed
States. The result was Rcapacity, extrava-
gaace and fraud IN public affairs, and bur-
lrsque on popular government. The native
Southern people, who felt that they had the
right to control affairs in their own States saw
no salvation for their public or private inter
e3sS except in overcoming the power which
was thrust upon them.
The North soon admitted that Federal inter
ference to sustain State Governments which
rested on the ignorant negro vote and were
managed mainly by greedy and INSCRIPTIONS
adventurers, could not be maintained. Public
opinion withdrew all support and nearly Il
dozen years ago the whole fabric went to
pieces.
AS to the so-called suppression of
The colored vote in the South at this
rs being an appeal to sectional pas
sion. which can not deceive the intelli-
gent people of the North. saying:
Outrage, violence and election frauds dimin-
-ish in proport on the necessity for them
ceased. For the last two years little has been
heard of them, but election returns show that
for one reason or another. ColOred voters may
have become ind nerent, after find ug TINT the
ills which they were taught to expect from
Democratic ascendency did not befall them.
and easily induced not to vote. More or less,
also they have begun to divide their votes be-
tween the parties. In no. voting or IN voting
for Democrlti; candidates they are probably
intuenc "a bv no worse inducements than are
used in Northern States to sway the action of
voters whose intelligence and honesty are not
sufficient to guide their political action.
Such words, from such a source, can
not fail to have effect with the people
Of the North, who have already re-
buKcd the sectional luminosity which a
few party bosses have sought to at
tribute to the Republican party as IL
whole Mr.. Blaine went to pieces on
this rock, and if its present policy is
pursued. the Republican party will re-
ceive its ultimate defeat in clinging to
it. ATLANTA Constitution.
.