People's party paper. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1891-1898, 1892-09-16

usurious charges, Tighten their rents,
or change their precarious tenements
into smiling homes, viii drive these
two men together, just as their mu-
tually infamed prejudices now drive
them apart.
Suppose these two men now to
have become fully imbued with the
idea that their material welfare de-
ponds upon the reforms we demand.
Then they act together to secure
them. Every white reformer finds
it to the vital interest of his home,
his family, his fortune, to see to it
that the vote of the colored reform
er is feely cast and fairly counted.
Then what? Every colored voter
will be thereafter a subject of in
dustrial education and political teach
ing.
Concede that in the final event, a
colored man will vote where his ma
terisl interests dictate that he should
vete; concede that in the South the
accident of color can make no posi-
BILE difference in the interest Of
farmers, troopers, and laborers; con-
cede that under full and fair discus
sion the people can be depended
upon to ascertain where their inter-
ests leland we reach the conclu-
sion that the Southern race question
can be solved by the Peoples party
on the simple proposition that each
race will be led by self-interest to
support that which benefits it, when
so presented that neither is hindered
by the bitter party antagonisms of
the past.
Let the colored laborer realize
that our platform gives him bet
ter guaranty for political independ-
ence; for fair return for his work;
a better chance to buy home and
keep 1t; better chance TO educate
his children and see them probably
employed; better chance to have
public life freed from race collisions;
better chance for every citizen to
be considered as 8 citizen re@ardless
of color in the making and
enforcing of the @laws,-let all
this be fully realized and the race
question at the South will have set
tied itself through the evolution of a
political movement in which both
whites and blacks recognize their
surest way out of wretchedness into
comfort and independence.
The illustration could be made
quite as clearly from other planks in
the Peoples party platform. On
questions Of land, transportation and
finance, especially, the welfare of
the two races so clearly depends
upon that which benefits either, that
intelligent discussion would neces-
sarily lead to sjust conclusions.
Why should the oolored man al
ways be taught that the white man
of his neighborhood hates him, while
a northern man, who taxes every
rag on his back, loves him? Why
should not my tenant come to re-
gard me as his friend, rather than
the manufacturer who plumbers us
both? Why should we perpetuate a
policy which drives the black man
into the arms of northern politi-
clans.
Why should we always allow
| Northern and Eastern Democrats to
enslave us forever by threats of the
Force Bill?
Let us draw the supposed teeth Of
this tabled dragon by founding our
new policy upon iustice-upon the
simple but profound truth that, If
the voice of passion can be hushed,
the self-interest of both races will
drive them to act in concert. There
never was a day during the last
twenty years when the South could
not have flung the money power
into the dust by patiently teaching
the Negro that we could not be
wretched under any system which
would not effect him likewise that
we could not prosper under any law
which would not also bring it's bless
ings to him.
To the emasculated individual who
cries Negro supremacy, there is little
to be said. His cowardiee shows him
to be a degeneration from the race
which has never yet feared any other
race. Existing under such conditions
as they now do in this country, there
is no earthly chance forNegro DOM
nation, unless we are ready to ad-
nit that the colorsd man is our supe-
rior in will power, courage and in
tellect.
Not being prepared to make any
such admission, in favor Of any race
the sun ever shone on, I have no
words which can portray my con-
tempt for the white men, Anglo
Saxons, who knock their knees to-
| gether, and through their ohatter1ng
teeth and pale lips, admit that they
are afraid the Negroes will ''donain-
ate us"
The question of social equality
does not enter into the calculation at
all. That is a thing each citizen
decides for himself. Ne statute
ever drew the latch of the humblest
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