Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1889-06-06
THE WHITE OLIGARCHS.
The Dragons Teeth They Have sown b.
Appealing to Race Prejudice.

The Dragons Teeth They Have sown by
Appealing to Race Prejudice.
The murder of A NJ Nicely is the
last of the political assassinations in Ar
kansas Mr.. Nicely was Republican.
: The story of the murder of a Demo-
crat by Republicans, solely because
they were Republicans while he was a
Democrat, has yet to be written; no
such crime has been recorded in any
+ Southern State.
Nicely not only was Republican but
also a colOred man. A regular Re-
publican ticket" was in the field; the
election for school directors; the can
didates on the regular Republican
ticket were white men. Nicely was
dissatisfied and became "a bolter."
He sought the election of a ticket
upon which the candidates should
not only be Republicans. but
co!ored Republicans In this he
acted foolishly. and If he strove, as IS
said, to inhame race prejudice, then
he acted like dangerous demagogue.
But dangerous demagogues are not to
be suppressed by murder. In Chicago
when the Anarchists or Socialists put
a ticket in the field the conservative
element does not resort to the assassi-
nation OF the radical leaders. All the
law-abiding and law-loving people
lay party differences aside for awhile
and unite for the defeat of the danger
Gus element, and they always succeed.
"A union of white Democrats and Re-
publicans, plus the legitimate influence
which superior wealth and education
can bring to bear upon the interests
or reason of the colored vote, will sei-
dom fail in the defeat of any attempt
toward NEGRO supremacy" in the
South. The Inter Ocean voices the
opinion of the great Republican ma
jority in the Northern tier when it de-
clares itself rs hostile to black SUI
premacy as to white supremacy. 1t
holds guilty each and all who strive
to embitter Southern politics and to
divert attention from the great eco
nomic issues Of the time by revival
or creation OF race prejudice. II Nicely
strove to array the blacks against the
whites, to create "a black mans gov
ernment," he was just as guilty Of
treason to the best interests of So
ciety and to purity of government as
are those gentlemen who have striveu
to array the whites against the blacks
and to create Il white mans govern
ment;" not more, not less.
But the fit punishment of such
turpitude is not death by assassi-
nation. No Republican has advocated
the murder of that Governor of
Southern State who made the boast
that the success of the Democratic
party was the result of violation of
the constitution of the United States
and of violation of the constitution of
this State" Every Republican in the
Union would regard such a murder as
infamous, and would insist upon tho
arrest, conviction and execution of the
murderers. 1t also is to be borne in
mind that if there had been no boasts
of determination to establish "a
white mans government" upon the
suppressed or inundated vote of
colored majority there would have
been no retaliatory demand for
black mans ticket. to be forced by
vengeful majority upon a reluctant
minority. We often have warned the
white oligarchs of the South of the
danger of sowing dragons teeth broad
cast. And it is also to be borne in mind
that as the Democrats themselves
admit, the negro is not headstrong or
malicious; he is docile and grateful;
this. is Southern testimony. But not
even the most docile and grateful race
can be violently goaded forever with
out kicking against the goaders. If
whites band against the blacks they
must expect blacks to band against the
whites; it is inevitable that it should
be so. But we are convinced that. even
where the colored voters are largely
in the majority, a conciliatory policy
on the part of the whites. policy
which enlists the intelligence of the
leaders of the colored people. policy
which aims at plentiful education.
good roads, low taxes and diversified |
industries for all would prevent the |
or at any rate the cleo
ton. OF colored mems tickets. Tn !
such a policy has never
been tried in the South. The white |
oligarchs have sown dragons teeth by
appealing to race prejudice. Chicago
Inter Ocean.
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