The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1892-02-11
Restless Black Voterz.


There are signs that the black voters Of
I the north are becoming restless. For many
/ years they have been voting with the Re-
( publican party and have received compare
lively few Of the rewards which that party
has had TO distribute. The few rewards
( they have received have been granted
grudgngly. Fair promises have been made
to them, but the promises have not been
kept
IN close elections the blacks hold the
balance Of power In half a dozen northern
states. They are now thinking about
making this power Of value to themselves
If what their leading men say is true they
do not see any good reason why they should
continue TO work for the success Of the Res
publican party. They are seriously con-
sidering the advisabiliJy OF giving their
votes to the party from which they can get
the greatest rewards in the shape Of offices
and coacessious.
George T. Downing, Of Newport, r. l.,
had a communication in one OF the Boston
papers last Monday in which he said he
wanted managers of political parties to
know that hencefortb the colored vote will
not be the ignorant and blindly led force it
has been credited with being He said twill
divide and affiliate with the great political
parties OF the nation with the view of en-
joying more respect from each. In his
opinion IL has debated whether the north
ern division Of the Democratic party is not
quite as ready to have respect for the COLI
ored vote as is the Republican party.
This man Downing then proceeds to point
out that If the southern wing of the Demo-
cratic party will deal more fairly with the
black voter that party can have a very
large part, II not the majority, Of the black
vote north and south. He thinks the black
vote will pass into the control OF the Demo-
cratic party just as soon az the blacks in the
south are accorded their full rights.
1t is evident that he doesn't know any,
thing Of the blacks in the south. He be-
lieves he knows all about them because he
has heard the stories which the black and
white republicans Of the south have had
printed in the northern newspapers for
political effect. Before writing about the
political condition Of southern blacks he
ought to find our what that condition is.
OOushCAh uCAhOOA dSo arc EAlhhB hbhb blo
blacks shall enjoy ell the rights to which
they are entitled, and. as a matter Of fact,
they do enjoy them. The blacks vote as
they please, and. as rule, they vote against
those who furnish the money to educate
their children, and they vote that way not
because they are opposed 10 the Democratic
party on the issues Of the day but because
they believe they owe their freedom TO the
Republican party. 1t is evident that class
of people who have not an opinion with re-
spect TO living issues and are guided wholly
by a sentiment in their political action are
not to be trusted with political power. One
reason why the south is solidly democratic
is because she cannot afford to have ig-
norant blacks in placesgof influence and
power. She had them once and the expert
enoe was costly one
The Democratic party would be glad to
have the assistance of the blacks In the
north. but 1t doesn't want it in the south if
the price Of it is O share of the offices, upon
the proper administration of which good
government depends. The southern demo
Gratis are now bearing the burden of the
cost OF improving the intellectual and moral
condition of the blacks, and when the
blacks are prepared for all the duties Of
citizenship there will be little, if any, ops
position to their discharging those duties
But, as a matter of fact, the blacks
in the north receive no more
liberal treatment from republicans than
from democrats. In Kansas. for
instance, where there are $4,000 black
voters. the schools are not open to the
blacks and the hotels are closed against
them. 1t is even said there is "a strong feel
Ing in favor of introducing separate cars
for the blacks notwithstanding the proper
ton of the black population is very small
As a matter of fact there is not as great
liberality ia Kansas IN the treatment Of the
blacks as there is in Georgia. Under the
circumstances 1t is rather remarkable that
the blacks have been faithful allies of the
Republican party 80 long.
George 7. Downing, whose communica.
ton is referred to above, wants the demo-
Gratis to make certain concessions as q con-
dition of the blacks coming to the Demo-
cratic party. In view Of the fact that the
blacks receive. nothing more from the
Republican party, which they support. than
from the Democratic party, which they
oppose, would It not be the wiser course for
the blacks to show by their works that they
are worthy Of concessions before asking for
them? They can help the Democratic party
in the north. Let them do so If they are
inclined toward democratic principles and
trust the Democratic party to reward them
as they deserve.
Brice's Disclaimer.
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