The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1892-10-24
WHY AFRO-AMERICANs ARE RE-
PUBLICANS.


OF the Republican party has there been such q
widespread difference of political opinions
among the voters in this country as is evinced
in the present great presidential contest From
Maine to Florida, and from New York to Cali
fornis dissension and desertion are heard. The
old rank and file are being daily broken up.
Gresham, MacVeagh and Cooley desert their
Republican brethren and go to Democratic
camps, while Gen. Sickles, the cham
pion of the old soldiers, and a
lifelong Democrat, carries a Republican
Il =: and Tammany Hall, always heretofore 3
Democratic winning number. is now whettiug
its political knife to even I'D things for the de-
feat of its tavocite candidate at Chicago Labor
and trade unions. advocates OF free silver. civil
rights and prohibition are all di>affections
drawing more or less from the two great leading
parties ia such manner that the fo-ceasting
OF the final result is almost beyond even specu-
ton.
Amid such q political upheaval among all
classes of voters. the question naturally arises,
how stands the Afro-Amercan? Has he not
grievances also, such as would warrant him 10
throw off his old party allegiance aud become
Itsntined with some of the new parties more
liberal in their views? If 30. to which of the
four parties can he consistently unite himself?
We will not attempt to answer these questions
directly, but will attempt to show the attitude
OF each in relation to the negro. But ere ] open
member OF that despised race. born and reared
In Mississippi, Port Gibson, Claiborne county,
and have seen them in every condition. First,
Tor the sake OF argument, We will admit that he
has grievances, and very grave ones, such as in
voive national questions. and at issue in
this strife; if We desert, shall we go to the Pro-
hibit.on party? This is a party with the direct
aid only purpose of "pulverising the rum
power" which for humanity In the desidera.
tum, and We heartily and highly in
dorse, but that accomplished. its mis-
zion is ended. 1t is hopelessly in the
minority, and should it secure every colored
vote in the North the final result between the
two great parties would not be materially
changed. Its work is confined solely to North
ern Republican states, snd it can not hope to
do more than to defeat that party which has
already given to it prohibition Maine, Vermont,
Iowa nd Kansas, and turn into power a party
whose very corner stone is whisky ana open
enemies to our progress. Votes thus
cast are virtually lost, or aid in
undoing all that has been done for our good
and advancement. That party is simply out OF
the question. Secondly, the Peoples party
comes up for consideration: to read it's princi-
pies, enunc.ated in its Omaha platform, they
would seem to be the colored mans salvation.
The haven OF laboring men and lsoor unions,
Its prime motive is Tor the equalization of capt.
tai and labor and checking the in;rusions OF the
power IHelE apostles on tue street
corners and sidewalks would have you believe
that this is the party for all classes and condi-
tons of laborses irrespective of color. All is
not gold that glitters, nor do we always mean
all We say, as we will now see.
The great rank and file of this party are
largely made up from the labor unious-organ-
lied white laborers. Now, what is the attitude
OF these trade unions toward the negro race,
whose votes they are now using superhuman
efforts TO capture? Not one OF them bu. what
strictly prohibits the. coiored men from joining
them: that's q clause found in all their consti-
buttons and bylaws. European serfs. known
anarchists, communists and other deadly secret
orders, and svowed enemies Of the free insti-
buttons of this country are freely adj
mitted, while these great lovers of the
dear people say to the black man, the honest,
toiling, true American-bor sons, numbering at
least 100000 male laborers, and who perform
their work with less trouble than any other
class Of laborers, "You are shut out, hence cut
OFF from all kinds of skilled labor and in some
cases from common labor" If these calamity
howlers really meant what they claim, they
could organize this class OF labor and, with
their 100000 votes, be a power which
would defy the combined efforts of
the country. Can you colored men vote
aid q party whose fundamental principle
slabs you 20 the heart which takes the meat
and bread from your children and gives it to
J.
this Peoples party expect to accomplish To
elect their candidate? No; to rule either branch
of the national legislature9 No. Then they can
only confuse the political situation and thus
assure the election of Democratic president
This is evident from the fact that they
are doing their hardest work in Repub-
lican strongholds. Their leaders pretended
to expect great things from Arkansas, Alabama
and Georgia, but late returns show the largest
Democratic majorities for many years. which IL
8 clear case of a one sided issue, and proves be-
yond reason of doubt that the Peoples party
is nothing more or less than q tail on the Demo
cratic kite. He who votes Peoples party
ticket votes a Democratic ticket straight and
strong, and votes for men who declare that you
cannot have honest labor-that very thing
for which you are most fitted. The
two lesser parties thus considered
are Democratic side tracks under the
guss OF reformation. Striking, ain't il,
that Repub lican strongholds are the only locaIi-
ties in need OF reformation? Thirdly, we will
consider the advisability of looking to the
Democratic party for redress our other homes
having been blasted. This is the real lion in bis
lair. and Democracy and Democrats are exceed
ingly repulsive to the coIored man.
and the cause Is we'll known not only
to him; yet we have within our
lives seen some good Democrats. but most
of them were dead. Its acts and history
are well known by even the children of the
United states that it is wholly unnecessary to
here review it. but brief review would to soma
extent serve our purpose. 1t is party OF treason
and rebellion, q party of corruption and de-
bauchery, party of rule or ruin, or rule and
ruin, party whose hands are red with bloody
murder in order to hold their power, a party
hostile to freedom and civil rights and party
opposed To education and internal improve
ments and TO humanity in general.
The 'Solid south" is a self-explainiug sampls
OF the base and underhanded treaehe.y TO rule
or ruin. 1t is so by the aid of the shotgun. the
rope, ana even the burning stake, of all the
most revolving TO humanity. Leaving the Afro
American out of the question, and considering
only the white voting population. 10 it not one
OF the queesrest things on record that,
throughout all the ex-rebel states, there
is just one political idea-all are
Democrats uncompromislngly SO? The citizens
are rich and poor, trsdesmen and artisans sgri-
euliursts and mechanics. and operating fac
tories, machine shops, mills and mines affected
by the tariff reciprocity and free silver Just the
same as their Northern brethren-and yet all
classes and conditions are Democrats I'M
ohaBgeably so, irrespective of their personal in-
terest. 4 similar state of affairs, we venture to
say does not exist 10 another locality ia the
world There 10 something wrong
Bat freedom OF speech. right of suffrage or
ouuCsitiOu 10 Bourbon rYlia ia siynrlv not tof