Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1889-01-29

dS Tree from violence, prejudice ana un-
reason. The people of the South are taught
at last that a suppression of the ballot will
not go UNPUBLISHED. They do not, at least
the more honest of them, pretend any
longer that the vote with them is as free
and fair as at the North. But still they
plead for time to settle this problem for
themselves In their own way; frankly say
ing that they prefer the loss of National
power to what they fear would be the
REIMBURSEMENT of their local affairs to the
hands of men ignorant and unfit. The
specter of negro rule is still before them,
and IN its presence they are hardly capable
Of clear reasoning.
The people of the North, now that they
see force and fraud no longer in control of
National affairs, now that they find the
crime of the South against the suffrage
bringing its own natural and proper pun
ishment, are just as little inclined to un-
reasonable extremes. Those of them who
have pronounced most fercely against the
wrong that was done are least favorable to
interference with the local affairs of the
South The Cincinnati Commercial Gazette
is Tor moderation. Senator Sherman,
whose voice has been heard in condemna-
ton OF the practice OF the South, would not
approve the exercise of Federal authority to
correct the abuses of which she is guilty..
Senator Ingalls,, any thing but mild of o,Jin-
ION or speech, declares that the Southern
problem Is one for which ne can find as vet
no hopeful solution. All are beginning to
understand, says the st. Paul Pioneer-Press,
That the presence. in the same community,
OF Two separate races, SO differently quail
he'd at present for the charge of govern
ment, yet equally entitled to the ballot,
creates situation full of such elements of
difficulty as might tax the ability of anv
statesman in any age or country. North
and South alike are pondering to-day less
upon the intiiction of vengeance or the
escape from 1t, than upon the best solution
Of this genuine problem which has so far
escaped us.
This is case where the people of the
South might do well to study the words of
the greatest statesman of the age. when
championing his method of settling oues-
tlon as grave and as vexed as this No
argument of Mr.. Gladstone, in his advocacy
of home rule, is as powerful and as well
fitted TO appeal to the sturdy common
sense of the people as his advice that En-
gland, for once, try fair play She has
tried, as he notes, every method under the
sun of controlling Ireland, save this alone.
She has governed by force and fraud Size
has coerced and cajoled and purchased.
But she has consistently refused to think of
the lrlshman as an equal, to be made
patriotic citizen of the Empire by the grant
Of those rights winch Englishmen accept as /
a matter of course. The argument of Mr.. !
Gladstone is that simple fair play might set
the whole trouble at rest, while it could not |
make matters worse. 1t is suggestion
that 1t Is just as much IN place for the people
Of our own South They start always from
the premise that free and fair ballot for
the negro means negro rule, and that
negro rule means every thing that was
1nendurabe IN the reconstruction period
Ii IS with this view that the North
lakes issue. Its peopie-and there are
hose among them, joining in the view, who
ire personally familiar with the whole stu
ition-do not believe that the negro vote
would be cast as unit if the Democratic
1arty were to abandon the policy of ostra-
ism and repression which has antagonized
he freedmen and driven them to the Re
publican party of necessity They know
hat the participation of the negro in the
government, under the lead Of the best men
II each State, would be utterly unlike the
anne participation under the guidance of I'm
crupulous adventures from abroad They
'eheve that nine-tenths of the apprehension
which the white people of the South hon
stly feel is pure imagination, encouraged
y their leaders for political purposes. And
hey are convinced that simple far play, the
-ranting unQuesuoned 10 the negro of his
Official rights, will solve the Southern
roblem more speedily aud thoroughly
han those methods which. being built upon
foundation of wrong, can not, by any pos
Utility, be either permanent or satisfactory.
lrginIa has come nearer TO trying this ex-
eminent than any other Southern state:
nd there the race problem is infinitely
IS troublesome than it was ten ears ago,
'hile the fttest rule in her political affairs
lore generally than they did then. Why
OF give this method trial throughout the
Their states of tie Soulful