Fort Worth daily gazette. (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1889-07-04

THE Appeal, newspaper published IL
st. Paul by colored men severely arraigni
the Republican party for its Implicitly in
dealing with the colored voter. 1t points
out how faithfully the colored voters have
stood by the Republican standard, how
earnestly they have advocated Republic
can supremacy. and how little recogni-
ton they nave gotten from those they
have helped to place in power. Says the
Appeal:
From the first ballot cast by this portion of the
people OF America to the last, the masses of them
have-wheneverth they have been allowed the priv
ilege of casting their ballots as they pleased
proved their gratitude and faith in the vaunted
Republican principles, and have voted for the
Republican candidates. And, to-day, the Re-
publican party would not, nor could not, be in
possession OF the reins of this government but
for the help of these same citizens. Is it not
reasonable, then, that these people, whose nat
ural rights are identical with those OF
all of Americas peoples, should feel
entitled to, and expect, fair treat
ment from those they helped to put in power to
rule over them. This is not being given, and
has not been given at any time since the birth of
the Republican party. But these patient people,
waited on and waited ever; still they waited in
vain. Four years ago the Republicans found the
Democrats strong enough to wrench the reins OF
government from their hands, owing, in a
greatermeasure than many imagine, to the apa-
thy of the colored voters, thousands of whom
neglected to cast their votes. Last November
this apathy on the part of colored voters gave
way to the old desire for Republican supremacy
and the result was Republican victory again.
The Republican candidate for president was sup
posed to be Republican in principle, an honest,
fair-minded CHRISTIAN; believer in the broth
erhood of man; one to whom we could look for
more real aid in arresting and suppressing the
inconsistent inhuman, unjust, damn5ble color
prejudice, which has been the bane of olr exist
in this country, which claims to-, be the
haven of refuge for the troddens and OPP
pressed of all nations.
But they found Harrison no such man,
and now they are kicking themselves be-
cause they did not indulge in the same
apathy in 1888 that they say made Dem
ocratic success possible in 1884. 1t is
pleasant to note the fact that the colored
people are waking to realization of the
hollowness of Republican pretenses.
When they shall have learned to do their
own thinking, to vote as they please and
to divide on economic rather than upon
prejudicial lines they will have taken a
long step forward.
The Republicans were never the friends
of the colored man. Before the war they
advocated the abolition of slavery because
they were jealous of the influence and
wealth of the South and since the war they
have disfranchised the oolored man and
made a pretense of being his friend, sim
ply to gain his support that they might
revel in the spoils of office.
Cold, selfish, arrogant, your Republic
can politician knows no friend but his
own interest, worships no God but his
own ambition. Pretending love for the
negro, he has sought to degrade him, and
has never hesitated to sell him out when
interest demanded the sacrifice.
To unbiased observers this has been
patent for long time; it is interesting to
note that the colored people are at last
beginning to realize it,