The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1897-06-23

| our aid all those who desire to see ous
| southland, and not a few individuals,
prosper, grow rich and fat under the
impetus she has lately received from
Divine provision.
If the colored peoples services are
| so invaluable, then Charleston, with
every cornor and crevice overlooking
| should be the princess Of the western
world. Clad in royal regalia, joy and
mirth should be in every home. with
| tables grooming beneath their rich bur
dens and every appetite sppessed from
the cream Of the world. But alas! how
reversed-her best appearance is but
cheap mourning and the hardest scuf'
| lie is maintained at every door to pre-
| vent the wolf from entering.
We are of the opinion the negro's
knowledge of the crafts has been the
| cause of northern capitalists securing
in this city such a large amount OF
york for so small an outlay of money:
| To the casual onlooker the whirl and
din indicated prosperity, but the
thoughtful observer could not divine
it. He saw by the multitude Of ne.
groes employed that the city was los
ing from so to IS cents per day on each
laborer furnished, and distant cities
gaining the amount on constr uction
that would soon be complete, and for
years to come weld a surplus to be
transported. Dividend prayers, in
deedl Impoverishing their own city
their own homes and enricbing others.
To the capitalists they have been OF
great advantage; to the community a
great curse. So will it be to the south
when they reach the cotton mills.
We claim an equal right with bond
and office holders in social objections.
Aside from competition and white
supremacy, social status is a strong
argument against colored Office hold
ers. Not long since while an emin
ent statesman of the south was before
Mckinley, opposing on social grounds
the appointment of a negro to the
Augusta p~ostofice, Mr.. Wi.te was
preparing a declaration of determine
tons that he would not have dared to
issue in any other city of the Union:
without first having his valise packed
and ticket purchased for parts un
known.
Proximity is the parent of social in.
tercourse, which is longingly courted
by the colored race, Notwithstanding
all that has been said to the contrary,
/ and where does it abound more than
in cotton mills? Yet Mr.. Witte pro
pose to put the blacks and whites,
male and female, side by side, under
one roof, thereby opening the doors
to amalgamation and bastardism, for
matrimonial alliance is prohibited by
law.
If the present national adninlstra'
ton, at whose disposal are many
prominent and desirable positions,
should decide to give those of this city
to its strongest and most faithful sup
porters, none would be more vocifer'
Gus in sounding the social alarm,
maligning, condemning and in the
most virulent manner holding the adj
ministraLion up before the people for
rebuke and vituperation, than this
mongrel cotton mill advocate. Still,
if every Office at the Presidents dis
posal were filled by competent or in.
competent colored men, it could not
possibly be so disastrous to the peace,
social and financial condition of the
city. If the colored mans status pre-
cludes him from competing with the
oficeholder it should preclude him
from competing with u mothers,
wives, sons and daughters in the light
pursuits of the country, for here in a
large proportion, is the milk from
which the cream arises; adulterate it
and the impurities will be found in
the cream and tasted in the butter.
If, however, his services are OF such
intrinsic value to the city's industries
that he must be put in dangerous
proximity with our maidens, or they
deprived Of opportunities for his bene'
fit, what consistent reason can be as
signed for excluding him from official
positions. If we loved our race less,
and like money glutted foreigners and
southern apostates, inclined to de-
grade caucasian blood, we would
.cheerfuliy support them for office.
But as a hereditary right we claim for
our race the first fruits of the
land and are determined to oppose
all foreign socialists or southern
apostates who attempt to deprive US of
them. We affirm by all our physical
power and brave hearts not to sit sup,
inely by and witness this negro horde
turned loose upon the pursuits of our
mothers, our wives, our widows, our
daughters, our sisters, and rob them
of their living. Many Operatives.