The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1890-02-07

convert ignorance into wisdom and unpros-
perity into prosperity" that 1.-The ballot IS
OF but little use unless there is an educated
brain and conscience behind it, i submit
that this is not the question at all. The
color line is not the line of intelligence. If
there are some colored people who are
intellectually unqualified to vote. SO are
there some white men. A State may, in its
wisdom. adopt an educational qualification.
but the fifteenth amendement prohibits
any discrimination on account of race.
color. or previous condition. This amend
ment was passed by the Republican party.
rs one OF the planks of its platform. and
upon that plank that party Excepting
Judge Baldwin, stands as firmly as a rock.
There has been much ado recently about
the negro problem" 1t Is said that the
two races caInot live together; that there
Is a natural antipathy bet we them, But
they have been living together for some
time. and so anxious were the planters Tor
the aid and comfort of the negro that they
sent to Africa for him. Negroes are, and
have been, performing the familiar and in
innate duties of household servants
throughout the South for many years, and
Southern Senators have publicly, pathetic
ally, and gratefully adverted to the fact
that they had been nurtured at the breasts
of negro women. The blood of the two
races has mingled, Illicitly it is true; but.
az MIR. Lynch sagely observed the other
day, the tendency OF Southern legislation,
now IN force, in theform of miscegenation
laws. is to maintain and promote the re-
latiOp. In view of these facts. is 1t not
straining a point to say that a negro and a
white man cannot meet at the polls or III
the primaries. or sit side by side in legislat-
i've halls?
So far as social equality is concerned,
when the colored people shall come to pos
sess as much wealth pr~oportiOnately as the
white people. ana shall enjoy equally with
them the refinements and advantages of
civilization. they will gain some social
raannnnn nofo1 antfnnfh 10 thu yvnrl6
over. more a matter of condition han of
color. The colored race have made remark
able progress considering that, but a short
while ago. they were only one remove from
barbarism. They exhibit marked civiliz-
ing capacities. They are social. musical
and good humored-in fact the happiest of
races. They are peaceable. amenable to
reason. and are forgiving of temperament.
They are eager to learn, and are highly ap-
preciative of educational opportunities. If
we may fairly Judge from the beginnings,
the colored people will, intellectually,
run the white people a close race. The
main cause of antipathy to the negro. mani
tested in the South. Is not that he is black.
or that he is ignorant, or that he is not in
dustrious The does nearly all the work per-
formed there). but that his allegiance to
the Republican party is incorTuptible.
"NegrOrnle," as such. is a spook used by the
leeches on the Southern treasures to
brighten rebelliOus partisans into submits
sion. Any revolt, whether Independent,
Democratic. Labor Union, or Republican,
IS effeetnally suppressed by defamation.
ton is impartial. When the white people
grow tired of being robbed by one party
czardom. they will join with the federal
government in holding free elections. That
the Republican party will at first meet with
cordial cooperation in it's efforts to
secure honest elections is not to
be expected. The Democratic party.
as the beneficiary of Southern
frauds. will start q conf1agration-it may
dured equally: and even the hope will be
indulgeL, that some of those good people
who have moral cramps when they hear
blocks of five" mentioned, but who do not
have any when they are reminded of the
gerrymander in this State-thoss who. in
Indiana. favor an honest count, and q dis
honest appOrtiOnment-may finally. in the
fullness of time, cease to regard with COM
placency the wholesale and unlawful dis
reimbursement of millions of their fellow
citizens. The recent agitation about the
Australian ballot law is a hopeful sign.
Popular disapproval of fraudulent election
practices will not be confined to sporadic
frauds committed in the North. but will
cross Mason and Dixon's line into a coun.
try where fraud has attained to the dignity
of a complete science, and where il is ap-
piled as n finished art. When that event
shall have happened, then those Demo-
cratic politicians who put their sOiled
hands behind them. and who cried aloud
for reform, will be sorry in that they were
so virtuous. They will find that they have
forged a bolt that they cannot control. Let
us lave honest elections in every part OF
the country, in all States, and in all munic-
qualities, even if it offend election crimi-
nails and the sensibilities of a delicate ''con-
stitutionaP' construction. Punish rigor-
ously all violators of the law of whatever
party. Let there be a free and fair express
sion of the peoples will. whIch-in Latin
phrase-is the voice of God.
OLIVER T. MORTON.
INDIANAPOLIS. Feb. 3.