The sun., 1896-09-06

able TO control the masses, as represented In q
| Conyention OF 900, as at New Orleans in De.
Ssmessr Is,t for ins,snss;H a Convention n which G
leans, was not a member. should have been a
controlling factor. which his previoue promi-
| insured. IL he had not lost his "Trip. Why had
he lost ity Why had all those mentioned
gSS 81 o.t ai shers il ike m"nnsP They SiM hoSs
| now the came black masses 70 rely upon that
they had in The days $50 OF recOnstrnc,ion. but
WSIso White % %sn iSsteaa @ Why rGe rG south out 0RHn lSr,
nlshss to-day but two Afro American members
Chsirmsn of State Committees. despits tie fact fact
that the state Conventions OF by far tho moeI OF
Gs Sy Ssas . %'Ff Ssss s R
tons and the GonTrsss dlstriot Conyen-
lions were eontrolissd sy white men, who
Louis as the representatives of the party and
the people. and a. result every Southern dele
Texas was headed by white man. The turn
Ing down Of the old leaders by the masss., At
dereneracy OF the black masses IN political
virtue and sasacity from the standards of the
reconstrnction period. because race which
speak and act for II. and to secure the honors
and emoluments which necessarilv fall To such
representatives Ia either lack ing In the elements
OF self-relinnce ana manhood or hopeleAnly ig-
norant aud corrupt. and therefore incapable OF
that self government upon which repu blcnn in
situations rest. A people that cannot trust and
govern themselves cannot govern others. II
they cannot stand together and rrpei thu or
panized opposition and aRgressiuus Of others
they will be forced Ia the wall, This Is what
has hepnrncd TO the Afro Americans Of the
south before and since 1870. They have placed
their confidence in white men, who IN nearly
every instance betrayed them hy lootlnC state
Governments or ceiling out to the enemy or In
appropriating all the honors and emoluments OF
party success. They have done this because
the masses are Inherently weak in tho element
of civil knowledge and capacity. which can only
be remedied by time aud education.
1t is necessary for the proper development OF
the civic virtues that men have constant exer-
else In them. Since the passing away OF the
been denied to the Afro A American masses and
the men OF them best able to lead them in poll
tics by reason OF character and education hare
engaged IN other pursuits than politics. The
white masses OF the South have had II virtual
monopoly OF this exercise. ami kept in active
service men of their own. VIII" should have
grown In the capacity OF leadership, II they have
not done so.
The brea .ing up OF the solid south. with tho
withdrawal of the constant menace OF Federal
coercion. rhouid simplify the political situation
IN the Southern States. AMI give to NIL ~ the
electorate larger participation IN the practical
aTairs Of administration. Evidences Of his are
already found In North Carolina. Georgia. and
Alabama. where cOntending factions among the
whites have made specif" appeals to the blacks
for support. This must become more general.
The benefits flowing from n FREQ ballot must
naturally follow sooner or later. II is not In the
nature OF things to receive support from men
In an emergency without a sense of obligation.
which honest men always feel constrained to
discharge.
The era Of reconciliation n?on which we
are entering. which has been boldly announced
and endorsed by the candidate Of The Repnhli.
can party. should work To the ad, Rntage Of all
the citizenship Th"uEht:n' Afro Amsrcans
and will labor earnestly for the election OF Gov.
Mckinley. who has set his teeth against sec-
tionalism and mobocrhcy. ns opposed to Mr..
Bryan. who 10 avowedly the candidate OF both
these forces OF national diGaster.
r. THOMAS Fortune.