The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1889-10-03
soIrurE> PROGRESS AND THE
NEGRO.

At no period OF its history has the
South been as aJprehensIve with re-
s,ect 10 the negro as it is at this time.
In some measure. this is due TO the fact
that the National Administration and
minority of both houses of Congress be
long TO the Republican party--a party
that has always seized every oppor'u'
nity and instrument to degrade the
Southern people. The national registra-
ton measure, which the Republicans
will introduce into Congress this winter
and make g strenuous effort to pass IS
not only the first step in matured
plan 10 cntrench themselves in power,
but also a means of forcing upon the
South all the evils Of a negro suffrage
corrupted and manipulated by her most
malignant and INSCRIPTIONS enemies
Naturally enough her people re-
gard the possible passage OF tfat
law with feelings Of dread. The
mere suggestion of it recalls to
their minds with Overwhelming
force the frightful confusion, ex-
citement and bitterness of the recon-
struction period. when the Official
minions of the Republicans Iarty stood
on the watch at the polls and encour-
aged by their presence and bearing the
insoleuce and defiance of the negro
voters. We believe that this feeling OF
apprehension rests upon an exaggerated
view of the situation. Admitting that
the Republicans can pass such a law. we
do rot think that the people OF the
S,uth can at this late day be placed
even for a time under the control OF the
most ignorant and degraded class IN the
community by the presence OF United
State s Narshalls at the polls ID National
elections, or by the general subsection
OF these elections to the rules OF Ma
tiopal law. Such law would unite
the people OF our section in still
stronger determination not to submit TO
negro domination, and would In the
end produce such disorder in the South
as to lead inevitably TO its re-
peal. Sound as are their reasons
for anticipating highly injurious effects
from the passage of such laws and laws
similar to it. all tending to make the
negro frighiful source of political
danger aud anarchy. That Apprehension
which the South feels with regard to
the race tests upon more permanent
basis than this. jast as it Is III every re-
spect. 1t would exist TO the same. al
though not to as conspicuous degree.
if Democrat presided IN the White
House TO .day-we bad almost said II the
South was wholly independent. locally
aud politically. of the North. We be-
lieve that this apprehension has IFS prn-
cipal origin in the growing hostility OF
the Southern people to every influence
that is likely to cast the slightest cloud
upon their purely material prospects.
They now value their possession of po-
liticll power probably less, be-
cause they are animated to an
unusual degree by all the proud
impulses Of freedom. than because
their political supremacy is absolutely
essential TO their material improvement.
Never before in the whole extent Of
their history have they been so moved
by purely material spirit-that spirit
which impels them to great achieve
ments in trade. manufactures, COM
merce, the buildings of cities. the con-
etruction of railroads. the opening Of
mints, the erection of furnaces-fhat
spIri. which wlthdraws them further
and further every day from the condi-
ton Of distinctive agricultural com
munitv ard makes them more and more
in sympathy with communities re-
markable for teeming populations and
every evidence of great accumulated
wealth. There is nothing more i'm
pressive in history than this transform
alton of the Southern people-a trans
formation due to their changed reia-
tons TO the negro, and to their sudden
collapse into general poverty, a.
"A result of emancipation OF the
slaves aud the destruction OF
values of every kind. In spite of the
complete revolution in their economic
fystem and the radical modification OF
their social life, both at first well calcu-
lated to produce tendency to perma-
nent decay. 1t cannot DO said that their
general society has gone through even
the first stages of disintegration. The
change. 30 noticeable and Sd vast be
tween the old and new order OF things
at the South, has not been disiotegra-
ton followed by reorganization, but
rather reorganization from the begin
ming. How different the operation OF
influences in the West Indies after the
abolition of slavery In the islands
under The government Of Great Britain,
excepting Barbados. the disintegration
that Immediately began after emanci
ration has continued until it has
reached the last stage of ruin. There
was no reorganization of the whites
upon new social and economic
basis as in the South the tendency was
downward upon the same lines without
interruption, and every decade so far
from seeing the slightest arrest in tins
tendency has only seen highly accel'
Grated progress. IL is the evil Influence
upon their new material civilization OF
the character Of the negro race that the
white people OF the South regard with
the profoundest apprehension. Let the
Republican party pass an hundred ma
tloual registration laws. directed to the
h..,;i,.tiop and eriblectlOu OF the