Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1891-08-31
THE CoLoRED VOTE.
How That Race Is Taxed in the North
without Representation
To The Editor Of khe ReQister.

without Representation.
To the Editor Of he Register.
SIR:-We ask for space once more in
behalf of the colored man, knowing that
we Will get fair treatment at your
hands.
In your Fridays issue we tried to
show our colored brethren their position
in the body polite, irrespective OF
party, and as the Republican party has
been the dominant one, we lay claim
that our rights hayo been disregarded
and ignored In the Northern States,
inst the same as in the South. With
great deal of JUNCTION our white friends
s'orate" about the sufferings OF their
forefathers and the causes that led them
to endure their hardShips, and II our
memory is good we think one Of those
causes was taxation without repreSen-
tatiOn."
Now we have the same right to rebel
against the same injustice, and venture
the assertion that according TO proper
ton we pay an equitable share OF the
taxes, and give the same support to the
powers that be.
We do not claim that socially we
should be recognized, because we think
every man makes his or forms his own
social position, but we do claim that the
foreigner, the laborer, manufacturer, In
fact, all classes and avocatiOns in life
have representation except the colored
race.
Take our city. We have two hundred
voters in the Second ward, but we are
not allowed voice In city affairs that
interests our pockets as well as other
taxpayers.
When an alien comes here and re-
mains the stipulated time he soon be-
gins to find that as factor in politics
he can WELD "big" influence, and &C
cordingly makes use Of the knowledge.
Right here is where the color line Is
drawn. We can use our influence for
the dominant party, but not like the
alien. We have no hopes of ever shar-
ing in the honors or emoluments OF
office. Even il we were elected to an
Office we would be OStraclsed in the
position, no matter how excellent
character we have. But as to the alien
who knows what his record was before
he crossed the sea? He may be au
escaped convict for aught we know, as
many have turned out TO be that have
landed on our shores We were brought
here against our will, our forefathers
suffered as great hardships as the revo-
lutiOnary fathers did, even at the hands
Of those who fought for that same free
dom that we desire.
We have become Americanized, our
interests are here, our fathers and
mothers are buried on Freedoms soil,
but it seems that after so much blood
shed and strife in order to gain that
same freedom that is enjoyed by our
white friends after we have tasted its
fruits, it has turned to dead Sea APP
pies"
Even in the work of our hands we
are ignored and an undesirable class OF
people are taken in preference to
Americanized black men. We hear Il
good deal OF talk about protection to in
dustries. but nothing is ever said about
protecting the labOrer from the horde
of vandals that come here and take the
bread out of our mouths; even the white
mechanic and aborer has to
seek other avenues of industry
In order to keep the wolf from the door.
There is no protection TO labor, and it
has as much right to be protected as
any manufacturer. II the gates of Gas
tie Garden" were closed against foreign
labor for the next fifty years, then the
surplus colored men of the South could
be utilized in the North, and it would
go long way to solve the race problem
Of the South.
The colored man to-day is more Of an
American than thousands who have
come from foreign shores for many
years. In fact we think that just that
move would solve the great problem
that has been agitating the minds OF
politicians South, as we'll as relieve the
anxious minds Of our whilom friends in
the North.
Make the colored:man useful every
where in our country, and you will
hear no more of Socialism, Anarchy or
any other "ism" that is born, fed and
fostered in Europe. We do not want to
take up too much space in your valuable
columns, but we think that it is time
that our white friends and our colored
brother was looking after the future.
The white laboring man stands on the
same "plane" and 1t should be our COM
mon interest to see that orr labor and
families have the same protection
that capital has. If foreign goods are
shut out to promote the manufacturers
interest, Why not shut out foreign
labor that encroaches upon the labor
er'S rights. The black man should be
the laborer OF this country and our
white friends the artisans. This theme
has too wide scope TO discuss 1t in one
article, and we hope that our colored
brother will begin TO stir himself, and
by agitating equal political rights and
his rights above foreign competition in
the labor market Thanking you,
Mr.. Editor, for your interest in our
welfare in the past, we hope always to
live to command that respect which
honest men, irrespective of color, all
desire. A CoLoRED VOTER.
Wheeling, dug. 80.
West Virginia Pensions.
Special Correspondence OF ne Register
WASHINGTON, August 29.-The fol-
lowing West Virginia pensions have