The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1898-03-09

ONCE at IdI1OU, MlItSS luG, dShluS
me to help him over white Repub-
lican. The Republican county chair
man, Collier, colored friend of Hol-
loway, has also urged me to support
his friend.
II tell you the Southern people
and I speak mainly from some
what full knowledge of the people
of my own district-the Southern
people are perfectly willing for the
negro to assume any position he can
fit himself for. Imust admit that
there are those who have the Mas
sachusetts idea that no negro is fit to
hold office; but these in the South
represent class somewhat separated
from that of the gentlemen in Mas
sachusetts who fought so strenuously
against the placing of an educated
colored man in the Governors coun-
Gil.
"No, all in all, I do not think the
color of Baker had so much to do
with the causes of his murder.
There were other lines than color
lines drawn in this terrible affair.
1t is hardly to be supposed that even
men, who are guilty Of the murder
of Baker would have thought of such
a crime if they had not heard from
the patrons Of the Office of the inso-
leuce of this negro to ladies. In the
density of his ignorance he supposed
that the United States was behind
him in whatever he did, and that he
could insult anybody with lmpunity.
Charges and specifications as to his
incompetency and lack of character
are on file with the postofice depart
ment signed by about 200 people;
the authorities were not ignorant of
the kind of man they had appointed
to the postofice at Lake City.
ut may be we'll to remember some
other matters. DR. E. 4. Webster, Of
Columbia, has been designated by
the Republican authorities as referee
il all things pertaining to the post
offices of South Carolina. He ap-
points certain L. H. Deas as referee
in particular for his district. Deas,
as YOU we'll know, is negro of the
most extreme Republican type. His
neirhbors know MIN as a shrewd, un-
scrupulous and vindictive mulatto,
the tool of certain Northern Repub-
licans, whom it is alleged he served
for price at the st Louis conven-
ton. Now Postmaster Baker, it
seems, was a special pet of his, and
sought industriously to copy the
political character of the patron.
Uninfuenced by the high-handed
methods of his preceptor, Baker
doubtless would never have aroused
the madness of even the ignorance
and brutality that killed him.
II could not think of condoning
the commission of this great crime.
1 have only sought as best J can,
with the knowledge I have, to bring
out the conditions in the community
in which it was committed. The
people of Lake City need the aid and
sympathy, not the condemnation,
of the law-ahiding citizens of the
land. In all parts of the United
States this lawless element has at
different times broken through the
restraints OF the law. Five men
were taken from jail and hung to one
limb by an Indianapolis mob because
they were not good citizens. Igno-
rant miners in Pennsylvania were
butchered by command OF the sheriff
himself, and the community is up
bollins the outrage. From hither
and yon come tidings of like crimes.
Such condition call for the serious
attention of thoughtful citizens over
the nation, as we'll North as South.
''As horrible crime the killing Of
Postmaster Baker must rest upon
the individuals who committed it.
As an awful cala,2ity, 1t falls upon
the good citizens of the town of Lake
City. As a deep public wrong it rest
upon those, who, for the furtherance
Of their selfish political ends, demor-
alize the moral character of theSouth-
ern negro, rob the Southern people
of competent public service, purpose
ly complicates the Southern problem
Of racial relations by thrusting venal
negro henchmen into Southern offices
of trust. No negro postmasters are
appointed anywhere under this Gov
ernment except in the South. Even
in Ohio, in e community almost SOL
idly colored people, negro postmas-
ters are doubtful"