The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1889-01-20

Two other tables follow, the iirSt giving
the vote for Congress and the legislature
in the States OF New York, Massachusetts.
Ohio aud Illinois aud the second making
comparison OF the vote in these States
with that in the iinst three and the last six
Southern States. They make suggestive
and instructive tables.
APATHY ~ ELECTIONS
Leaving on, the question OF inumda.
ton, Mr.. BLAIR SAYS, is IL not very pert.
ncnt whether public affairs can bc in
healthy condition when citizens take 50
little interest in politics that only % per
cent. OF the whites aud only 10 per cent. of
the blacks voted In the Congressional clcc.
ton oil 1856? Where the citizen cares too
little for public affairs 10 vote, expert
cncc prove that matters fall Into deep
rut, that abuses multiply, and that gov
ornmont Is conducted In the in,ers, oi
corrupt rings, ruled by yrnal bosses. The
financial officers OF Kentucky Tennessee
and Alabama were dciautcrs 10 large
amounts, and in Nirginin's State offices
two trusted clerks were sent 10 the puni-
Tertiary for robbing Public affairs can
only prosper when al the citizens are In.
trrcsied enough "a vote. Compare Ohio
and Georgia. Ohio's vote In 1886 was
7Ol, l2p ont Of n possible S2G, j51 in 1850
Georga's vote in 1855 was -, 203, out Of q
possible vote Of 1921, ijS In lss0 The six
southern States, instead OF rejoicing, 10
they do, that they have their black fellow.
citizens under absolute control, should
stimulate all their citizens, black aud
white, 10 take an ncliyyand intelligent in
tcrcst IN public Affairs by voting. Compc.
tiiion is not only lhc life of trade. but COM
petition Of parties Is the life Of the com
monwcath.
There Is quito dincrcncci IN the voting
Of the negro IN the iifsi three and the last
six Southern States. In Virginia the negro
h infatuated 10y the ballot Il IL the cpilomc
Ia him OF all that Ia good and noble. II
stands In his eyes for dcliycmncc from
bondage, for wealth AMI honor, for public
schools and churches. for military aud
benevolent societies. II stands not only
for everything ho enjoys AMI hopes 10 On.
joy, but everything he has escaped. The
spirit Of Malone operates IN the first gr0up
Of states. The negroes Of the other nix
Southern States are intimidatcl and de-
priycd oi their ballots, for the whites not
only acknowledge the fact but plainly lie.
clare that they should be-, In order 10 Pre-.
serve stable aud civilized government"
After canyassing thc causes Of this lc-
privation IT tho nCgro's vote, Mr.. Blair
said: eve do not hnd the material aud
moral Affairs Ia Virginia, North Carolina
aud Tennessee In moro backward conli.
ton than In the other six States. On the
contrary, there IL greater progress aud
prosperity and mOrc moral aud intellectual
development.
"li will be slid there arc moro negroes
IN the ak States, and moro danger tn be-
apprghondcd. This II true ~ 10 numbers,
but not true NJ 10 the greater danger prc.
iically, because the negroes arc solid
against tho whites merely because the
whites treat them, not NJ citizens, but us
drbascd creatures who have few II any
rights they are bound 90 respect let the
elementary rights II the negro botcspcclod.
then the whites can induce enough ne.
grocs 30 cooperate with thcm to keep con.
troll Of affairs M iong ns they 1rc conducted
for the public good, and not tor tho sup.
posed good oi faction VI Tie public. As
long ~ public affairs are conducted on iho
color line, which ~ simply nothing but
appeals 10 passions aud proIuIIccs, wisdom
and statcsmanship can have no voice In
their management, for they will boz DELHI.
cratCly banshod from tlH council cham.
Der and the Legislature alike. II the
South desires prosperity, % must granting
that the negroes are not iniImidnlcd, en-.
courage them 10 take a proper interest IN
public ailain by voting. u ihcy are in
Inundated, Il " the double duty Of the
whites 10 put a stop ~ the suicidal prac'
tice, for Ia these days Of active compel.
ton the South needs Tie energetic and
intelligent cooperation oi aII iis cit1ens
IN order TO prosper. II by intimidation
tho hopes and aspimti9nlo i hall tho poo
pie, who are the principal dependence Tor
labor, are crippled, therr 4 nothing 10
hope for but disaster. A. well hamstfing
n horse or a mule aud cNpcri work from u
~ 20 expect valuable result from degraded
and hopeless labor, Tho South will look
In vain for prosperity ~ long u u abndgrs
the fights Of voting Of any claus Of Us cili'
1ons."
EDuCArioN.
Nearly thirty-fye pagos Of Mr. Blnirss
essay are devoted 10 an elaborate foNlec" OF
the systems Of education in The south o.,