The western sentinel. [volume] (Winston-Salem, N.C.) 1887-1926, 1897-10-21
THE ONLY HOPE.

| lsSued an address to the coloreC
voters OF North Carolina. 1t sounds
something like a declaration of indie
pendence--a purpose to cut loose
from their slavery to their white
bosses-but we think it safe to say
II the Declaration of Independence
issued away back yonder in the 7O's
mad meant no more than this mani
festo the British lion would still be
switching his majestic tale over the
olonles and the American eagle
would be an unknown quantity in
the problem of nations.
+ When one thinks seriously about
1T, 1t does appear amazingly strange
that the negroes should be SO her
metlcally sealed to their Republican
Idol as to go on voting for anything
1T enunciates and for anybody it
puts up, regardless of the fact that
their white allies eapCure very nearly
all the spoils. while there would be
no pie for any of the gang but for the
solid vote OF the colored contingent.
strange OF not, this is just what they
nave been doing and what they are
hkelX to continue doing for many
years to come, and the key to good
government and white supremacy in
North Carolina is that the white
people stick as closely together on
one side as do the negroes on the
other side
Such g policy on the part of the
white voters is best, not only for
the white people but for the colored
people as well. No reasonable man
can argue with the slightest sem
blance of plausibility that the present
State government, made possible by
the solid negro vote, is better for
anybody, except the pie-eaters, than
the preceding Democratic admins
tratiOns.
Yet, in the face of this, and in the
face of protests issued by colofed
people in this off year Of politics,
when voting time rolls around again
the colored vote will again be found
in solid phalanx against the best in
terests of the State, that race includ-
ed, and in favor OF the very dema-
gogues, and such as they, against
whom they now complain.
1.-THE negro gets his eyes partially
open to the truth after the smoke of
contest has cleared the field. some
how or other the white Republican
spoils hunters manage about election
time to pull the wool on Sambo's
head down over his eyes and lead
him blindly into the same slavish
service he has been performing these
thirty years or more.
The address referred to at the out
set OF this article eontslins a compar-
atiVe list of Offices held Ly white and
coiored Republicans by reason of
negro votes and I'd e statement is
made that ''this list shows 81 sol, :
600 that the white Republicans and
Populists are get ing for about
$4,000 votes, Willie the colored
voters get oDly 81, 500 for their
100000 votes->one State clerkship
and ten postofices, outside of few
places such as guards at the peniten-
tiary." Again they say: "Those
fellows ara simply making fools of US
and Eattening at our expense"
That's a fact, and they will do it
again. 1t isn't worth while to count
upon disaffection in the colored
ranks as a factor in turning the
rascals out The only hope is that
the white voters will stand together
IN the next campaign, and thus save
the negro from himself and his tricky
allies and bring good government
back to the State.