The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1897-10-01
@essenger.
STRENGTHENING THE DEMO
CRAZY IN THE SOUTH

The appointment Of negro postmast-
ers in North Carolina is not going to
help the radical party in the south. It
ought moi to help but down it inconti-
nent1y. In Halifax county alone there
are four egroes given such places.
One OF these is the thriving, handsome
town of Scotland Neck. In Georgia
the ofence in the appointing Of negro
is rank and fills the whole atmosphere.
1t will consolidate the d~isintegrating
democracy in hat state. It will make
the whites indignant in all states, in
all communities in all southland. The
Indignation is deep, and the condemna-
ton open. Republicans of the more
decent kind, who are not exactly
ashamed Of their white skins or apol-
'ogetic for having to wear 1t, are frank
and explicit in their complaints, and
censure Mckinley for his want Of sense
and his intense case Of negrophylm,
negrophobia. 1t is so rank it is threat
ening Major Mes destruction. The lit
tile man has made some wOeful blum
ders-his four pardons Of bank thieves,
for instance-but he literally knocked
his fat in the fire when he put wool
on his head and took h professional
political Sambo to his heart. There
are in the north who see
the grave mistakes perpetrated by the
little man, and have pointed them out
with word Of disapprOval. The lead
ing mugwump paper in New York, The
Evening Post, has noted the unfortu-
nate negro selections made, and how
they have stirred the southern heart
and evoked broad-gauged maledic-
lions from the whites, and not all con
fined to the democracy.
The New Orleans appointment of a
negro has been specially provocative of
wrath and indignation. The able
Times-Democrat, perhaps the most in
fiuential paper Of all that section Of the
south, says of the negro that he "is
unfit in every respect for h office to
which he was appointed, and no n
can or will pretend to the contrary. He
was appointed by Mckinley, or rather,
by Hanna, as a cheap way of paying
personal political debt out of the pock-
cts of the people-an act which The
Times characterizes strongly as a
breach Of trust an insidiOus and dis
honorable speculation" The Evening
Post, correctly and sensibly admits
thai negro appointments are very I'M
popular with the southern whites of
both parties, even when capable men
are selected. But the 1amentable fact
is but few are Of this sort. while the
most are men without character or
other publications. The republicans
are succeeding excellently in uniting
and strengthening the democracy in
the south, for that party is the sole
hone of perpetuating free institutions,
of securing honest. just, economical
government, of maintaining the bless
fngs of education, of preventing fraud,
corruption and usurpation in office.
The Post says:
s"The situation appears almost hope
less for the southern republicans. The
party managers must either recognize
the negroes by giving them their fair
share of prominent Offices, or they
must snub them because of their color.
If they recognize the blacks they drive
off so many whites that they stand nc
chance of carrying elections. If they
.snub the colored politicians they dis
gust the colored voters, whose hearty
support is always essential to sue
cess"
In all the north, unfortunately, per-
haps there are not five newspapers OF
much influence that are able to divest
themselves of ~intrenched, deep-seatec
p%rejudices and to view h negro
question from the proper standing.
point of broad craftsmanship and en-.
Jightened intelligence.
Some days nothing will "cOme Ou'