The national leader., 1889-04-27

Pei US III certain directions to maintain
separate ne1ghborhoods and separate
institutions. But these circumstances
should only be yielded to to the least
practicable extent. A negro neighbor-
mood depreciates the market value of
property. We should distribute our
serves among the people, build our
houses, where if they take fire other
houses will be in danger. Common
dangers will create common safeguards.
OUR POLICY SHOULD BE
10 unite with the great mass of the
American people in all their activities
ana resolve to fall or flourish with our
common country. We cannot afford
10 draw the color line in politics, trade,
education. manners, religion, or civ
lllzation. Especially, we cannot afford
TO draw the color line in polite. A
party acting upon that basis would be
not merely a misfortune, but dire
Calamity to the American peoples. The
rule or the majority is the fundamen-
Ial principle Of the American govern
ment, and 1t may be safely affirmed
tnac the American people will never
permit, tolerate. or submit to the sue
cess OF any political device or strategy
calculated to circumvent and defeat
1.-The Just application and operation of
this fundamental principle of our gov
ernment.
1t is also fair to state that no part of
the American people-Irish, Scotch,
italian, or German--could attempt any
such political jugglery with less sue
cess than ourselves.
Another popular error faunted In
our faces at every turn, and for the
most part by very weak and impossible
editors, is the alleged duty of colored
men to patroniZe cOlored newspapers,
and this simply because they happen to
he edited and published by cOlored
men, and not because of their in
trinsic value. Anybody who can find
means to issue a paper with patent
back and hang out colored flag at the
head of its columns. demands sup
port on the ground that it is colored
newspaper. For one am not disposed
to yield to this demand. A colored
newspaper maker has no higher claim
upon us for patronage than colored
carpenter, colored shoemaker, or a
cOlored bricklayer. Whether he should
be supported should depend upon the
character of the man and the quality
OF his work. Our people should not
be required to buy an inferior article
offered by cOlored man, when for the
same money. they can purchase a su-
periOr article from a white man. We
need. and ought to have, the best sup
ply of mental food that the American
market affords.
LII saying this 1 do not forget that
an able, sound, and decent public
journal, conducted In spirit Of justice
and not made a vehicle Of malice or
personal favoritism, edited and pub
lIshed by cOlOred men is powerful
lever for the elevation and advance
ment of the race. Such paper has
special claims upon all who desire to
raise colored people in the estimation
of themselves and their surroundings.
But while this is true, 1t is also true
that IN the same proportion that an
able and influential public journal
tends to remove popular prejudice and
elevate us in the Judgment of those
whose good opinion is worth having, a
feeble, ungranmatical and wretchedly
conducted public journal tends to
lower us In the opinion Of good men,
besides having a debasing influence
upon the minds of the readers. Char
acter and quality should rule here as
well elsewhere.
But 1 leave this aspect OF our rela-
tions and duties to make a few re-
marks upon the changed condition of
our country.
Four wears ago we assembled to cele-
brate the abolition of slavery in the
District of Columbia.
UNDER A DARK AND PORTENTOUs
CLOUD.
The honorable Grover Cleveland, the
approved leader and representative OF
the Democratic party, had, only few
weeks before, been duly lnaugurated
President OF the United States. The
fact of his election had carried alarm
and CONSERVATION into every black
mans cabin IN the southern states.
For the moment 1t must have seemed
to them that the sun of freedom had
gone down, and the night OF slavery
had succeeded. The terror was dis
NAL and heartbreaking enough and
although it turned out to be ground
less, it was not altogether unnatural.
The Democratic party had. in Its day,
done much well calculated to create a
dread of its return to power.
In the old time it was the ever faith
full ally of the shareholders, and the
inhexible defenders of slavery. In the
new time, it has been distinguished as
the party Of the shotgun, the cart
whip, and the solid south.
While Mr.. Cleveland's election
brought dreadful forebodings to the
cabins of the south it brought pleasing