San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1894-01-05
A SUGGESTED REMEDY
For the Southern Problem.

/
municated to the Houston Post,
which deserves to be read and
pondered over by every good citi-
zen; it is clear statement of the
question, and the remedy proposed
so reasonable and easy of applica-
BILE that tits we'll worth trial. 1t
would put all political parties in
the south on an equal footing, and
thereby relieve the south from its
present unfortunate condition. The
plan will be opposed by the dema-
gogues in the Republican party as
it would threaten them with retire
ment. We commend the article
to the consideration of every
patriot.
| To tie Editor of the Post.
The Southern question in the
public mind is considered strictly
race problem. In reality it is
the question of the domination of
ignorance VS.. intelligence, and
should be so presented to those
not conversant with the actual
situation. If it was understood it
was the condition of the Afro
American more than his color that
created the race POLLEN, there
would have been much
of the rancor and preju-
dice engendered by the war dissi-
pated. The people north of Mason
and Dixon's are led to believe that
the effort to prevent the domina-
ton of the negro arises entirely
from spirit of hatred for the
race, instead of desire to have in
telligent control of government af-
fairs. The politicians North and
South are largely to blame for this
unhappy condition of affairs. The
politicians of the North make their
election sure by keeping alive the
war prejudice, and the Southern
politicians cement the white peo-
pie by keeping up the negro buga-
boo, subordinating every other is
sue or effort at reform to the race
issue.
1t is time the people took hold
of the question and settled it in a
statesmanlike manner, on some
bases that will meet the conditions
actually existing in the South,
and insure the best government
with honest elections. We have
quite a percentage of population
of distinctive race that must re-
main distinctive, as it can never
blend or be amalgamated and its
identity lost sight of by process of
time, as is the case with other
nationalities. The circumstances
of two distinct races ever present
can not but have it's effect in the
way of race influence In political
affairs, but the point is, while we
can not get entirely rid of the in
fluence of race ties, some plan can
and should be devised whereby it
can be reduced from the para
mount issue to a hardly perceptible
bearing on any question.
The Afro-American is with us
to remain. We would not get rid
of him if we could, and could not
if we would. Our effort should be
to improve his condition and elm
mate Objectionable race character
istics, and gradually bring him up
to the standard of intelligent citi-
zenship, imbues with the spirit of
American institutions. The uni.
versal opportunity under our FREE
school system to secure an educa-
ton will warrant in the near future
a standard of intelligence as a pre-
requisite to the right of suffrage.
This would afford some relief to
the southern situation. The main
problem is, how can the white race
divide on other issues without
danger of losing control, which
they have by virtue Of being in the
majority, as we'll as represent
ing the great body of intelligent
citizenship. This can be done by
recognizing the distinction of races.
which can not be eradicated. 1t
is true the republican party, in
refusing to recognize a fixed con-
dition, has been trying to nullify
the work of the Supreme Being,
who in His wisdom created the
African with a marked individu-
atty. The effort has been unsuc-
cessful. Whether the color line is
drawn or not, it is there just the
same, and we must accept the con-
ditions of nature. On an issue of
a white mans party and negro
party, the whites control by
large majority. The public inter-
ests of both races are not served
by such conditions. The negro
race is the greatest sufferer there
by.
The remedy follows in arranging
/ Of finn in NO.