The sun., 1896-10-11
NORTH STATE NEGROES.
THE COLOR LIVE DISAPPEARING
GRADUiLLR NOR SCRELl
Relations of the Races and Education or
the Masses Growing Bettrr in tho
Land of the Sky" and " MountnIn Has, ~

ligious life of North Carolina. As one vt tho
younger generation of Afro-Alnorlcans, lis
course has been marked by rare copservatis m
and common sense. He was Collector of Gus
toms at Wilmington under President Harri-
son, was seven wears editor OF the star Of /irp
the Official organ of the African Methodist
Episcopal Church. and is now editor Of iAe
quarterly publication Of that church and -cn-
eral manager Of tho Zion Centennial Jubilee
at present in progress ia New York.
Mr.. Dancv talked freely to THE SUN report ar
concerning the good relations between tho
races in North Carolina. He naturally loGAs
on the bright sido of life.
II am 10 pvsaimst and never have been"
said Mr.. Doucy. Tho changed conditions
now. as compared with those OF fifty wears ago.
are so indicative OF larger opportunities aud
grandcr achievements than any hitherto mad
that am growing steadily more and more
optimistic. Indeed, the future is fraught with
splendid possibilities, as view IL. NJ man
can make nc believe that there is any mmchi-
0tc prospect of onr losing anything tina. NO
have gated by reason of influences either
within or without.
DO political conditions In North Cu"olua ius-
tify hope IN their final satisfactory adjustment?
We'll. sou may know that II lihc:ul >cntimun, has
pcryaded the State from time mmGmurial. II
has always been Kindly di>pcscd To tho Afro.
American. even in the darkest past, and my
race has not, therefore, lecu subjected to tl.o
greater hardships imposed upna It in other
States Of the South. This feeling has scrN ed
useful puruosr in preventing thr extremes Of
wrong and injustice. except in spGts, il Tie
state. and prevented tic cEactnen. Of laws
introduced to encourage corruption ut the bal
lot box to prrpctinte n pnrty's existence.
whether IL should fairly win or not.
Besides this view of the matter. there has
been ever since the war "A large white vote in
the mountain and central sections of the State
composed largely of tho lnion element In
North Carolina when II seeded. which has
steadily supported the Republican party In
state and Federal elections These men have
been some of the best ii strongest in the
state. men like the Settles, Dockerys. Pear.
sons, Caldwclls Iioltons, Russclls, rrtch-
ards. Ramsays. Bvnums. Boyds ard the like.
They have had la"Sc influence. and have never
failed to stand up and be counted They have
steadily maintained regular party orGnn!-
2aton. and contributed time. labor, and money
TO party campaigns. and thus won the rc.
spcct and confidence of their Jealous oppn-
ncnts. Senator Ransom and the late Senator
Vance were the acknowledged leaders Of the
Democratic party after the war. They used
every weapon Of party warfare 10 win.
They were shrewd party mauipGlatOrs and
great campaiSucrs, Senator Vance being con-
siiercd one Of the hes: in the South. He was
popular with all the people. His party won
simply because ne !ci II. II Wa not the party
IN, Senator Vance that was being supported.
The negro. under these conditions. while
furnishing ore Of the issues IN thcs" great par
ty fgh.s OF tn" rast, has not Dcen enough Of an
party. as has been the case in some southern
Sta,cs Our vote has been earnestly sought
be feared. hr'aase it is only in "a few "ounties
that we have al actual majority. while in the
STATE we cast only on--thr'i of the total vote.
We have a majority ia one cong ErcNs DISTRICT.
ani hat las been represented hv only three
Are ,Amsricans, W.; g. II; ilym%n' lanes
cient I" eay tlat tIey ali made able. crelitable
and faithful Representatives
The politics of North Carolina IS somewhat
mixed now. growing out of the three-Corncred
fight between the republicans, Democrats.
and Populists. The Poputsts are a!e up
the Democratic party. but who. on account of
failnre 10 receive fair political recognition. and
Lecnuss Of the ser, mp, tendcncic, of The Demo
publican party. In this fight the negro saw
his. .op;ortunity to correct what he regarded Hs
Chise In the BLACK Belt" lie srstaircd the
r"nulists in their fight. backed hv the whole
Republican party. In doing this We secured
the statutes of our state. 1t virtually guar
antecs to every ,oter an ndieputnhly far vote
found anywhere in III" nation.
'Tndcr these conditions the color line is
plavtug ONLY an insignificant part in the rOI.
tics Of North Carolina. and expect soon to SEQ
II lisanDNnr al CECthrr. 90 thar every man VIII
vote without regard 10 rae. color, or, class.
No. there Is no immediate fear Of any such eich
tior laws ever disEractng our statutes az OH
tain in South Carolina and Mississippi. ! do
not think the negro should withdraw from
politics in those States or any other of tho
States. He should use his ballot n~ fNr ms he
can in correcting present evils and uu,tlng in
AT "A iTl hp 10Y in
fair and honest elections. even though II re,
qure certain htncss e cntitlr ore to vote. No,
wc can vote. and never cease the agitation for
free and fair elect on when thee are denied;
urrender TT E the c'ts r y a af n ana
The fight between the gold and silver stand
ard advo Gtos and he ptrIotcctio,nists md free
South. and that will lead to n split Of the col
orcd vote eventually, Roth sides will appeal
TO Us for support. and all Unfair election laws
The relations between the races OF North
Carolina arc for the most part friendly. II is
n rare thing 10 hear If any disturbance at any
time calculated to produce strained relations
the best result It is only during times
of political excitement that any, feeling Of Bit
Of sympathy existing between the whites and
blacks of the. state II could hardly, be
n majority of the former master class paid the
slave before TIA" war. a bond of unity WIS
effected then which thing has been able to
brsak. l. is transmitted from father to son.
The belief Is growing that the interests OF
the two races are identical. and that what
ever is detrimrut Il to one is injurious 10 hoth.
Violent outbreaks are unusual. aud ARE re-
grctted Is the best people of both races of the
- tte whenever they occur. The nwleSsly
disposed receive small comfort either in the
courts OF Justice o. from the outraged populacc.
4 lynching is rarely heard of. only three IN
four years and two Of them whiTc. No Srpa-
rate car laws disgrace our statutes, and no lie
lnand is made Tor any such thing. Tho pros |
pect becomes steadily more hoIerul. and I |
think myself perfectly safe in believing that |
North Carolina is tho best State in the SOUTH,
II not In the Union.
LAS TO the work OF education. we have led |
in that. We enjoyed some educational udvap-
tngcs long before the war. II was a CulOrel |
nun, Prof. rhnvis II Chatham county who |
had received the best classical education. that |
tho sons 0f thc most cultured fnmi.
lies in NOrtn Carolina for the State Iiivcr- |
sity and other leading colleges. His coinr |
counted not at all against linn. No man was |
more respected ard hOuur"d than he was. and |
his death was universally regretted. Al Fny- |
etteville. New Berne liacigh Wilmington. |
and other points In the state, our race was |
To learn TO read and write, and there
fore enjoyed degree uf Intelligence which |
secured them respect from tlclr white friends. |