Waterbury evening Democrat., 1888-12-03
A DANGEROUS QUESTION.
This Is What Senator Ingalls Says of the Race Problem in the South-Disfran- ciisement an Impossibility.

This Is What Senator Ingalls Says of the
 Race Problem in the south-Disfran-
 cEisement an Impossibility.
 ATLANTA, Ga., Dec. 3.-The Constitutions Washington correspondent asked Senator Ingalls what effect the election would have upon the southern question.
 'The race question at the south remains as it has always been and, for the next genera tion, at least, will continue to be, the most important and formidable in our politics. The change from slavery to freedom. from subordination to legal equality, has com plicated, instead of simplifed, the situation. So far from solving the fatal problem, it has added new clements of difficulty and danger"
 ''Is any immediate adjustment probable2"
 ''Unless history is false teacher it is not possible for two distinct races not homogene- ous-that is, which cannot assimilate by in termarriage and the minging of blood-to exist upon terms of practical political equal ity under the same government. One or the other must go to the wall" Do you consider the two races homogene- ous?'
 ''Whether the Anglo-Saxon on and the negro races are homogeneous do not pretend to say, but the evidence is clear that the mu- ! lattoes are disappearing in the south The blacks are growing blacker the whites are growing winter. This shows that the con- nection between races while the blacks were enslaved was not voluntary on their part | and is ceasing with their freedom. The pretext upon which suffrage is denied | the blacks in the south is that the race is not | capable of self government, and that its supremacy would result in the degradation and destruction of society and the state. l don't distrust the sincerity or candor of the southern whites They probably believe what they affirm, but I have no doubt they have deliberately determined to eliminate the negro from their politics, and upon the ground, they reason, of their superior intelli- | gence, wealth and morality.
 l "What is the feeling at the north?" ''There is no malevolence or hatred towards l the south in northern people so far as l have l heard or known on account of the war If l that sentiment ever existed it has disappeared. l There is no disposition to interfere in local l or state government in the south, but they
 made the mistake of attempting to force by 1 the same methods a hostile policy upon a
 people whose interests were vitally involved, l and that are, in some respects, not wholly in | accord with their own."
 ''What will probably be the course ot 1 President Harrison2"
 l II have no information whatever about 1 the policy of the new administration toward 1 the south. l am as radical and aggressive as
 the average Republican and have been the | subject of some picturesque criticism from
 our southern friends for venturing to protest against their methods, but should not favor
 any vindictive, intolerant or proscriptive legislation. No race has ever been deprived
 of rights and prerogatives once solemnly conferred. The experiment has gone too faI to be recalled. If the two races are hetero genous and can never become assimilated
 their education, the acquisition of property
 and mental development intensity instead o1 diminish the dangers"