Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-08-06
rprn,y .AUGUST 6, 1897
coN,XG HOME TO ROOsT.

~. demand of the negro for "A just
share Of the spoils' under the MciN'ii'e'
administration is giving the EepuDii0'''i'
no end of trouble. His Dersistehcy 20
,,o.,nq ingeniously-w protests !"
..ar,o,s oparters and what to do ABOUT
,ho matter is becoming a burning queS-
It,, ot the North. Yesterday we sho"0N
how the charge OF the colored pio'"ei
unon the pie counter and his eHor's -
,,rab some Of the best of the baking hdu
,yorl,ed ND the New York Evening FoS''
mat naper advocated putting the darAy
81 the kitchen table, so TO speak anu
satisfying. or attempting 10 SATISFY H'A
annette with black break and plach Hio
Iasses Now we find that the Boston
Herald is IN as much of "a state o.
mind" touching the situation as was anu
IL our esteemed New York contemporary
To the extent of over half a column
the Herald moralizos on the issue in d
vein which suggests that IT might nave
been inspired by the names OF tho many
old-time Abolitionists that are presuheu
10 Goat around I'm the circumambient Bos-
,onese atmosphere in preference TO any
other habitat. Then the Herald comes
down 10 the actual conditions. Aiter
stating that the problem of "coiored men
and office" is a difficult one to deal wlth'
declaring that theoretically negroes are
On an equality with white men, asking
tho question should negroes be eXciuGed
from Office on account Of their color ana
asserting that there "can be no alb
stract reasoning that justifes such a
step" our Boston contemporary adds;
"And vet we cannot look at the concrete
facts Of the case without seeing the OBJ
staries I'm the way Of giving them the
share of the Offices to which. their num-
hers considered, they would be entitled.
II rests upon more than the ratio OF ig-
norance and incompetency among them.
There arises a deep-seatcd prejudice 10
deal with 1t is easy to say 1t IS unjust
and un-Christian. as. returning to an
abstract view of the case, it undoubtedly
is. But il is there, all the same. III
has been bred in the bone; 1t is part oil
the being OF men and women that can
not be eradicated. The offices are pre-
sumably created TO conduce to the COM
TORT anu. CouNtliltilIt VI NhN fNDbAN "-'N
have occasion 10 use them, and we doubt
# this will be promoted, either In the
South or the North. by appointing colored
men to fiji them where they are Of i'm
portant character
What n commentary this is upon the
fne-spun theories Of the negrophilist
regarding negro equality What com
mentary IT is upon northern criticism OF
race prejudice at the South. Reduced
TO its last analysis. what a vindicatior
II Is OF the Souths arralgnment Of the
Republican party for the crime of invest
ing the negro with all the rights of citi-
zenship.
Truly, so far as the North and Tho
Republican party are concerned, this IS
sue affording a striking illustration Of
the fact that political crimes. like curse.
and chickens come home TO roost. The
instinct of the higher race In respect o
this matter Is asserting itself more vigor
ously at the North than ever before, ant
il would seem that at last the scales ar,
dropping from the eyes Of the Republi
can leaders. But whether the Republi
can party win be able to drop from 10
back the "old man Of the sea " it de
pended upon 10 strangle the South, 4
another question. If nOt-wel, 1t will
be case of just retribution-that's all.