Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1889-05-09
The RACE QUESTION.
Why There Can Be No Compromise ~
Long as Bourbons Rule the South.

I
Why There Can Be No Compromise ~
Long as Bourbons Rule the South
Taking as his base of comment
an interview with President Harrison
recently published, Congressman
Oates, of Alabama, discusses the
/ negeo in politics, winding up with the
demand that the negro be disfran-
chised To his mind there is no room
for compromise. any more than there
was in Cato's when he discussed the
relations of Rome to Carthage, or in
Calhoun's when he discussed the
negro question of his day. A division
of the negro vote, he says, will not
divide the white vote, and, he adds,
''a division of the white vote can
never be made while there is a
possibility of the negro vote getting
solid or even holding the balance of
power. The white vote will divide
only when the negro is completely
eliminated.
This declaration is all the more
significant from the absence of and
provocation tending to an exagger-
ated statement of the case. Oates
processes to be delighted with the
Presidents interview. That CONVEX
sation was in an amiable mood,
couched in language tending to dis
arm prejudice and luminosity, but
there was no abandonment in it of that
fundamental principle of the Repub-
lican party embodied in the fifteenth
expressed a desire to see the color
line Obliterated, sentiment shared in
common by all Republicans, North and
South, but it is safe to say that he had
no thought of its obllteration by the
complete political elimination of the
negro himself. On every fitting occa-
sion General Harrison has borne evil
dence to the depth and thoroughness
of his Republicanism. This man Oates
can not for a moment believe that
the President has the slightest idea of
repudiating the cardinal doctrine of
every Republican platform, that every
citizen has a right to vote as he
pleases and have his ballot counted as
cast.
This Congressman bears testimony
to the high character of the men ap-
pointed to Office under this Admins
tration. Great care should be OBJ
served in that respect so as to avoid
giving any excuse whatever for the
old charge of corruption in Office On
the part of the Republicans, a charge
which was, with few exceptions, ut
terly false. No doubt the President is
exercising great caution in that par
ticular, but that fact justifes no such
inference as Colonel Oates would
draw, that this Administration is con-
templating any political treachery.
The very idea is preposterous.
The hope of the South lies in the
indications that such men as Colonel
Oates are not truly representative of
the new South. He belongs to a gener-
alton which is dying out. That empty
sleeve of his is a perpetual reminder
of his services in the Confederate army
The shot which manned him was
one of the four bullets that hit
him before Richmond in his twenty
seventh battle. He also belongs in
district in which the Republicans are
so completely cowed and discouraged
that they do not even go through the
motions of making nomination
against him. albeit on full and honest
election they would easily beat him.
Of course he is perfectly content to
perpetuate the present condition of
political affairs at the South. 1t Just
suits him. But the evils to the gen.
eral state of society are many and seri-
Gus, as the younger and more sensible |
men of the South are more and more |
1t may be that the reign |
of the Oateses will come to an end be- |
fore many years. However that may |
be, one thing is certain, the uncondi-
tional surrender which Colonel Oates
demands of the Republican party is
not to be thought of.-Chicago Inter
Ocean.