The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1892-06-24
Concerning Negro Rights.

as wise men as any who may feaC
this, and great deal wiser than the
writer, but that does not argue thai
silence upon the subject should pre-.
vail at this and all future time.
The intention of this article is not
to open the way for discussion upon
this subject, but to state some plain
facts before the public. 1 claim to be
an obedient citizen of the United
State, and as man of honor, am
bound to respect the laws that be.
Unless 1 do that 1 am unworthy to be
called even a lOafer in this grand Re-
public, which is the best ON the globe.
In the first place, the negro has, and
ought to have, equal suffrage, just be-
cause he is a citizen, and recognized
as such by Uncle Sam, and every
law-abiding man looks upon him as
standard authority upon such ques-
tions.
Then if he is citizen, and lawfully
so, he has right to citizenship with
all of its accomplishments, and no
man nor set of men, nor party nor
clique has right, or is justifiable in
interfering with the negro's privileg-
es which are granted by this govern
ment. 1t matters not whether he lives
in the cold regions of the north, or un-
der the scOrching sun of the bloody
South, he is a citizen and is entitled
to his right of suffrage, and as much
so as the white man, and a great deal
more so than the man who will take
up arms of mob-law to intimidate him
to keep him from voting contrary to
the wishes of the white man.
So long as he is citizen, give him
the same right; and flour government
deems him unworthy of citizenship
let the government settle the matter
in legitimate manner. Let the U.
S. Government settle all such dis
putes, and let no man lay violent
hands upon any citizens rights, lest
he be found traitor to law and de-
cency.
The plea is sometimes made that
it is necessary in the South to intimi-
date the negro, in order to keep the
balance of power out of his hands, as
he is incapable of holding office, so as
to be for the best interests of the Gov
But think it is very evil
dent from past experience that there
Is deep cause for such resistance, as
demonstrated in the South. 1t is !
more of political antipathy, than a
matter of inca pacity. But let us sup
pose it is true that they are wanting
IN knowledge to fit them for response
Die positions, is it right; is it just; is it |
between man and man to
'esort to such low and unmanly and |
measures to accomplish the
desired end?
l only speak the sentiments ofevery
aw-abiding man when say no not!
lo!!l And he who would be so pre-
as to engage in such law
essness, is no more fit for the office
han the blacklist ignoramus that
welters under the rays of Southern
un. He who would interfere with
he laws of our land, and would, if he
ould, prostitute those laws is I'M
worthy the name of a man, much less
citizens of this "Land of Liberty" of
which we boast. And the man or
ct of men, who will intimidate an
Their man or set of men, whether
lack or white, big or small, is doing
o in the face of law, which says that
ii shall have equal suffrage. He is q
and should be handled
S such.
And if knowledge is to be the test
fitness for office in the South, how
lany of the whites would pass the
nequal examination? How many of
hem would be in office who are there ,
)-day? l daresay that large per :
ent of the county and township Off l
ers would be just where they delight q
, be-in the tobacco patch. do not 6
ny that all of the Southern men /
lght to be on the "ignoramus" list,
ut do say that some of the "white Z
ash" and some who are not classed Il
such, are no more fit for the office a
ley hold, and no more worthy of the
lice, and in some cases not so much S
the negro whom he intimidated
nd compelled to leave the polls with
1t voting at ALL T
The negro is here, and he is here to 6
ay, and if he is not as brilliant as S
e desire let us not keep kicking him R
OWN, but lend him a helping hand.
he ignorance of the negro in the
,uth is due largely to the scarcity of
'pOrtunities they have to secure an e.
Iucation. The whites are at fault; a
ey don't want them to rise any
CHER. a
1t is to be noticed that those very c
EN- who would drag the negro from =,
e polls by the hairs of the head are q
ry anxious to have him vote their Sc
ay. Ifhe does, nothing is said or IS
ne to hinder him.
There are men in this "Sunflower
ate" who would use the negro with 6,
olence if they dared to do so. am -
ad it is just as it is, that they do
t dare to modest or make them
aid. And the man who will ad- of
" N "a