The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1892-09-15
No Force BILL
Intelligent Negroes do Not
Expect Benefit From
Such Legislation.
A ColOred Lawyer Tells Why No
Patriotic Negro Can In
dorSe 1t.
He Thinks Politics the Greatest OBJ
stacle To the Elevation of
His Race.

ORLANDO, FLA, sept. l4-At the So
licitation of the Courier Journal cor
respondent the following statement
has been prepared by John 7. Shuften,
an educated colored lawyer of this
city, defining his position on the Force
bill and his reasons therefor:
There is not an honest, intelligent
and patriotic colored man in the
South, wLo has the interest and well
fare of his race at heart, and sincerely
desires its permanent prosperity in
the Southern Stases, who can consci-
entiously indorse any such legislation
as the measure known as the Force
bill. While, no doubt, there are many
who would desire more wholesome
election laws and better management
at the polls and in voting precincts,
yet they are not willing to hazard the
peace, safety and material prosperity
Of seven millions of dependent people,
by indorsing a policy which would
have direct tendency to create disor-
der in every Southern community,
and at the same time paralyze and in
definitely suspend every branch of in
dustry by which the colored popula-
ton is supported and maintained.
"The passage of the Force bill would
place the negro population in very
serious position in the South. They
would have all the odds against them
in the great contest that would neces-
sarily follow the operation OF such a
measure, and, unless the negro played
his part wisely, with an eye single to
his own true interest, he would lose all
and be irretrievably ruined in the end.
'No force bill, under the present
circumstances, can place the race in
that exalted position in the Govern
,ment which it Graves it must reach
that goal by or through some other
process, il it is to be attained at all
"No Congressional interference can
better the political condition of affairs
in these States for, If the negro
through lack OF sufficient intelligence
and OF influential moral courage, has
demonstrated to the country that ht
Is as yet incapable of exercising the
right Of suffrage unless it is proppeC
up with bayonets and superintendeC
by military dictatorship, it is indeed
better that he withdraw from actinl
the political farce and await with pa
tience such time as he, or his child
dren, shall be sufficiently qualified tC
discharge this high trust with homo
and credit to themselves, without an.
unnecessary interference by politica
tricksters or scheming politicians.
"The greatest obstacle to the eleva
ton, progress and usefulness OF tn
negro race is the alluring and seduc
tive influence Of politics. II is thei
evil genius-the Pandora's box fror
which all the contention and strife be
tween the two races have ever emanat
ed; it has been the overshadowin
cloud which has threatened and men
aced the peace and good order of thi
section for the past twenty-five years
and it will continue to harass and di
turb the peace of every souther
community until the Republican pa
ty ceases to fondle and humbug I'll
negro, and leaves him free to turn h
attention from the ideal and delusiN
notions of political greatness to that
acquiring more perfect educatio
and to engage himself in those indu
trial pursuits of life which alone CO
make him independent and respeC
ed.
"If such men as the Hon. FIR
Douglass and his thousands Of adm
ers were to devote half as much tir
to looking after the moral, intellige
and industrial qualities Of the ra
here in the South as they have spe
in looking after its fancied political
terest, there would be no cause for t
present sorrow and grief Of the Pre-
dent over the wretched political &C
dltion Of the Southern negro.
"JOHN 7. SHUFTEN.'