The news & observer., 1897-07-20

appears to me tnaC MS uHteresI iles oh
the side of obtaining his manufactured
goods as cheaply as possible and that he
will espouse the free trade side OF the
question"
The most significant fact in this inter-
view is the one with reference to the
impossible barrier that shuts out an edu-
Gated negro from employment in the
North. The employment of negro teach
ers in negro schools in the South gives
positions to the best class of the negroes
of both sexes. In the North, while the
public schools as a rule are open to the
negro, he may not hope to become a
teacher in any of them or to find an
opening in any other department of life
requiring knowledge. Only yesterday,
talking about school matters, one of the
most intelligent negro educators in the
State said: "It was a big mistake to
have elected single negro on the board
of education in the State. 1t would
have been better to have left them off
the school committee, too. What the
negro wants is a chance. The politicians
have hurt his chance by clamoring for
and getting petty places for petty negro
politicians"
Bishop Petty did not study the cleo
ton returns before making the state
ment that 'many of the colored men are
known as possessed of very Independent
notions concerning their city and coun-
ty politics." Our observation is that the
negro draws the color line in politics
everywhere, when he thinks the Repub-
lican party can win, more than ever be-
fore. We know that this was true in
1894 and in 1896. When he thinks the
Republican party cannot win, he has
independence" The few who are in
dependent are ostracized by their race,
and driven into doing the bidding of
selfish and corrupt bosses. This was
never seen so perfectly as in 1894 and
in 1896. In 1894 more than half the
negroes vehemently denounced Popu
lists and populism, and swore they would
not vote for one of them. And yet
they were led to the polls like so many
sheep and made to vote for the men they
had sworn they would not support. In
1896, when the Republicans nominated
for Governor man who had called them
haI iytY, lu T.
ed them to be race OF thieves, the ne
groes all over the State declared they
would cut off their right arm before
they would vote for him. And yet they
never before voted so solidly for any
Republican candidate for any office
since they were emancipated. There
were a few conspicuous exceptions, but,
to quote Bishop Petty, "they are so
insignificant in number as scarcely to
constitute an exception to the rule"
1t is a fact here in North Carolina to-
day that, so far as exercising any in
telligence as a voter, except now and
then in local election when he knows
the Republicans cannot win, the negro
votes just like a petty political boss tells
him to vote. Practically, it is the same
as if so many sheep, led by the bell
weather, with ballots pinned to their
wool, were permitted to go through the
booths and have their tickets taken off
by the poll-holder. Practically, we say.
There are many negroes intelligent e.
nough to exercise independence, but the
few who are brave enough to do it are
ostracized by their race. The election
law of the State, framed to put all power
in the hands of negro-drivers, prevents
secret ballot to those negroes who would
like to be free of the political task
master. The worst Of it among the
negroes-and the most hopeless sign-is
that it is the selfish and corrupt, as
rule, and not the intelligent and worthy,
who control the race. 1t is the only race
known where the ignorant dominate the
educated. ''I would like to vote against
the rascal" said a negro teacher last
year, ''but / would lose my influence
with my race. They would regard me
as a traitor. I must vote as they think
1 ought to vote though I know it is a
gainst the highest interest Of the State"
What can we expect when ignorance
blindly and often viciously dominates
the intelligence of the race? Or, when
intelligence leads, corrupt bribe-takers
are the leaders instead Of educated doc
tors. preachers and teachers"
The gold fever is not confined to gold
bugs if the news from Alaska is to be
relied upon. Gold bugs, silver bugs, fat
bugs and all others are rushing pell nell
to get to the gold fields, as they did in