The western sentinel. [volume] (Winston-Salem, N.C.) 1887-1926, 1897-09-23
ONLY A DIFFERENCE IN TERMS.
| White Supremacy and Good Govern
ment Are Synony mous.

White Supremacy and Good Govern
menr Are Synonymous.
Raleigh News and Observer.
The Fayetteville Observer says
that "the paramount issue in North
Carolina is white supremacy" The
Telegram says: "The
issue in North Carolina,
just as in other States, is clean,
honest, honorable, efficient govern
ment. The government that we
have at the present time is neither OF
these"
There is 70 conflict here. The
paramount issue everywhere and at
all times is good government.
"White supremacy" is but the
synonym in this State for good
government.
We have had two experiences in
North Carolina when the negro vote
controlled: First, in the period be-
ginning in 1868 when the carpet
baggers and their allies stole not
only everything in sight but
mortgaged the industry of the peo-
pie for many years to satisfy their
greed.
Twenty years passed. A clean,
economical and honest administra-
ton became seemingly SO permanent
as to become common place. Tie
people forgot what the negro vote
plus sprinkling of selfish white men
had done years before. A genera
ton had grown up that 1'knew not
Joseph" The Federal Democratic
administration grossly betrayed the
people by becoming the agent of the
gold standard power. Hard times
and general depression fell on the
people. Discomfort at bad condi-
tons and disappointment at Demo-
cratic Federal policies were the twin
parents of the Populist party, and
into it went many farmers who
hoped in their desperation to bring
about better things With them
went s"heming and selfish men who
long ed for the flesh pots The great
bulk of the white people said: 1t is
better to bear the Ills we have than
to fly to those we know all about,
to-wit: rule through the negro
vote" Soon the leaders. seeing no
hope of getting Offices for themselves
Except by embracing the negro,
organ ed a fusion movement and
won through the negro vote. Result
the leaders got offices; the people got
higher taxes and disgraceful, dis
honest and incompetent government
of affairs.
Now the best citizenship of the
Stat, educated and uneducateG
alike, see that it has all been g horri
BILE mistake, and are anxious tc
| return to better government. They
see that negro rule by negroes or by
white men who look to negroes fol
the bulk of their support is degrad
| ing the commonwealth among It'll
sisters, tearing down q civilization i
has required centuries to build up
Russellism and Pritchardism, whic'
stand for bad State government ant
corporation and trust dominated
Federal government, could not exis
d day without the solid negro vote
1t could not exist without q con
tiDgent of white voters, mainl,
animated by a desire to get office o
by ignorant prejudice. The presenc
OF q solid mass of 10000 negr,
votes, ready to be traded off for any
thing hurtful by a dozen bad, selfisl
white and negro leaders, is not onl,
a menace to good government, blu
is a temptation to men who wan
office to betray principle in order t.
get it. There are always some mel
of ability who have no politica
principles, ready to fight where tn
pay is hest. The fact that 10000
negroes stand ready, at the dicta
ton of trading bosses, to be deiiy
cred to promote the ambition of tn
worst of these is matter so appal
ing that all patriotic white men mus
see that it is their high duty t
unite to prevent government of thi
character.
To say that good government
the paramount issue is equivalent t
saying that white supremacy mus
be the shibboleth of next years can
paign. There is difference only
terms.