The daily citizen. [volume] (Asheville, N.C.) 1889-1890, 1890-03-06
A POSSIBLE NEGRO STAIR.

An opportunity seems now presented
for illustrating the capacity of the negro
TOR self.government. Oklahoma is the
chosen field, and negro immigration isdi-
rected to that territory with the view OF
obtaining a preponderance of negro popu
lation and negro voters with the purpos.
of SO dominating the polls that all the
posts of trusts and responsibility wilfal
into the hands OF the race claimed by It,
enthusiastic friends to beequally qualified
with the whites for all the grave dutie,
pf citizenship, il they were permitted op
portunity to illustrate their capacities
As an experiment we are glad the oppor-
tunity is given. 1t will test the matter
thoroughly. Apart to themselves, they
come in conflict with no preira ls,r any
external obstacles to impede their ad-
vancement. In their relations with gov
ernment and the congress, standing on
their own merits, makers of their own
destinies. they will be relieved of the pat.
ronizing tutelage at once humiliating and
embarrassing to any people claiming the
rights and dignities of a common man.
hood. So much is claimed for them. they
claim SO much for themselves, we should
he pleased rather than vexed to see them
unobstructed in their aims and objects.
Perhaps. left to themselves, with the
training they have had. and the ambi.
tions aroused in their brains and hearts.
they may do better than they have done
in Liberia, better than they have done in
Hayti, better than they have done in ia.
maica. But to make the experiment a
convincing one they should be left a.
much as possible to their own men.
tai and moral resources. They should
not be groomed by ingalls, or
coached by Hoar or coddled by
Blair. Otherwise nothing would be
proved. There should be no propping or
bolstering except through the aid given
them for educational purposes. And tn,
government should not meddle wit -
them in the way Of aid, encouragement
or protection more than it is authorized
to do with the negro in any Southern
State. Acting independently, relying
uponthcir own resources, exercising Their
own unai,led talents and civic virtues, il
will be an interesting study to compare
their progress with that of the people oi
the Indian Territory, now in the full tide
of evolution from the savage state VIII .ch
may be regarded as having passed tn,
stage of experiment. The Indians, com
prising several tribes, may he considered
as the architects Of their own civic for
tunes. They borrowed much in their ini-
tial steps from white civilization. But
they invented their own alphabet they
have been largely their own educators,
they have conducted their own legisla-
tive al d judicial systems, an | may be
fairly said to have worked out their own
destinics.
In the beginning Of their independent,
existence. the negro has the advantage OF
the Indian. 1t remains to be seen when
lett to himself whether he rcccdes or ad.
vanccs.
1t also remains to be seen whether the
white settlers OF Oklahoma who acquired
their lands with so much difficulty and
with so much of romantic adventure will
quietly yield the ground to the new COM
ers, or remaining, consent to be subordi-
nate to them. And this, the first stage
Of the experiment, will be watched with
intense interest.