The Portland daily press., 1890-01-15
Negroes as Citizens,

Inc city of jacksonville is having an ex-
perlenee that illustrates the old Southern
lhethods oil Ignoring the negro's influence
anu tue utility of them in community
"here the negroes are well educated and
periodically inclined. Some time ago 1t
seemed advisable to issue city bonds to ex.
tend the city's sewerage system in order that
another outbreak of yellow fever might be
avoided. But clique of Democrats of the
hre-eating order decided that the city govern
ment, which was Republican, was too cor
rapt and incompetent Ito be entrusted with
the expenditure of the money. The govern
ment was not composed entirely of negroes.
thirteen of the eighteen members of the
council being whites. But the clique never
tneless made their decision, and, going up to
Tallahassee to the Democratic legislature,
persuaded that body to abolish the city gov
eminent of Jacksonville and empower the
governor of the State to appoint new coun-
Gil, which should have the power to elect
mayor, marshal. etc. Self-government was
calmly taken away from the people of Jack
sonville at the instigation of a minority.
There may be cases where majorities should
be curbed in municipalities, but the entire
removal of all rights of self-g0vernmept is
another thing. Especially tyrannical is il
when the majority cannot .be shown to be
corrupt or incompetent. The New York
Evening Post, paper that cannot be &C.
cused of undue partiality towards the negro
In his capacity as voter, prints letter
from correspondent who maintains. how
ever, that the negroes of Jacksonville are
quite capable OF bearing their share in gov
eminent. This correspondent says that
There have been good schools for the col
ored people in the city for many years, the
principal churches have educated and every
way respectable pastors, thu act of voting
and dlscharging public trusts has had a
strong educational effect, and the result is
that the voting population, white and black
together, is better qualified for the duties of
citizenship than that of any large Northern
city,. The act of usurpaton was carried
out.solely to enable the irreconcilable minor
ity OF Democrats to have the handling of the
FUNDS for the city improvements. But even
tne democratic legislature at Tallahassee
would not pass the bill of usurpation with
out amending 1t so as to compel the new
mayor and council to secure the consent of
Tue voters to the issue of bonds for the i'm
provements. The carrying forward of the
work meant plenty of work for the negroes,
ana it wouldlbe expected naturally that they
would vote for the bonds, and forget their
wrongs at the hands of the men who had Sc
cured their Acknowledgement, yet when
election day came" writes the Posts CORE.
spondent, these black men quietly voted
bread out of their children's mouths in de-
fence OF their rights as freemen." Through
tue constance of the negro voter the act of
usurpation has come to naught. 1t may be
observed here as one of the Democratic con-
fessions of faith that the same men who en-
tered upon this wholesale dsfranchiseme mt
OF majority are the political brethren of
the partisans who shout loudest in both
North and South for the rights of the people,