San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1890-02-14
GOOD MEDICINE IF TAKEN.

| IN Gne negro quesClOn, auu ulsseuCluy
from the opinion there expressed,
takes very sensible and conserva-
tive view of the situation. Among
other things the Post says:
1.-THE Southern democrats do not
ask the disfranchisement of the ne
gro, aud If thy did they would ask
in vain. There is probably not one
Northern legislature that could be
brought to entertain such PROPOSE
ton for a moment; happily there is
no southern legislature so illiberal as
| to endorse such a measure. 1t was
possible for the white men to make
| the African barbarian a slave, a free
| man and citizen, but there he must
| stop. He cannot undo his work-he
cannot withdraw the unsOught gilt of
citizenship; and he should not. The
Southern democrat is not asking that
the ballot he taken from the negro
but that the latter use il wisely for
his own good and the good of the sec
ton In which he makes his home.
This he has not always done. He
has listened to the voice of the dema-
gogue and has suffered himself to be
used as tool for the destruction of
those who have befriended him. The
remedy tor this lies not in retrOgress
ion, but in progress He must be
taught to regard himself not as ne
gro, not as the ward or iiege of a
political party, but as an American
citizen, whose duty 1t Is to think and
act for himself"
1T affords the LIGHT much pleasure
to find such an utterance as this from
80 represen tative u democratic journal
as the Post, and one so tenacious of
democratic rights. The Post has cor
rectIy sized the northern position and
the real remedy. The only difficulty
lies in thls-the democratic party do
not seem inclined to use the remedy
by the Post. The colored
man must be allowed the exercise OF
these citizen privileges which the Post
comedies are his without question, or
the position taken by tho Post Is not |
an honest o ,e for the party ID assume.
The republican party would gladly |
second any attempt of the democracy |
to teach the colored man the proper |
use of his ballot, so that 1t may work |
his own good and that of his section.
If, however, by this Is meant that the
c,,lored man must vote as his democrat
ic nei h Dor dictates or take shotgun |
pills as an alternative. then there may
be difference ofopinion ss to the ben
efits of the democratic prescription.
That the cOlOred mau does not always |
use his ballot wisely for the good of
his own section is no more true than
that the white man often does the
same. The division of the colored |
greatly to be desired on more ac-
counts than one, but the colored man
will not be converted to the demo-
cratic faith by shot gun arguments.
of the colored man in all |
that pertains to his citizen. ship re.
sponsibiliIies and rights is the needed
thing This tho republican party has
en iesvored To do, but they will
never successfully accomplish their
work until the democrats of the sou Gh
p4rmlt the work without interference
and threats of violence. The repub-
Iican party offers Lo obstacles to the
colored IN IN casting as many demo-
c attic votes as be Is entitled to. but
tho democratic party denies the right
Of the cOlOred man to vote as he
pleases unless he pleases to cast a
democratic vote. Jack son, Missis-
sippi. is a case in point and not an
extreme case either, only Jacks,
does openly what other cities do Sc
cretly. AS = republican Journal,
Knowing whereof 1t affirms, tie
LIGHT asks nothing more than fair
mest application OF the Iemed al
measures pointed out by the Post.
The republican party will ask 10
more, il will be satisfied with no less,
cut this is just what the democratic
party will not consent to.
The democratic party were knock
81 out Of all hope of CONTROLLING Idaho
W hen the au IT, VI Jrmon test oath was
1 cleared constitutional by the su-
preme courU. Win gentle control of
u Gah and no Mormon voters in Idaho