Goldsboro weekly argus. [volume] (Goldsboro, N.C.) 1885-1909, 1898-10-27
THE RACE ISSUE IN NORTH
CAROLINA.
Washington Post.

Washington Post.
Every thoughtful and humane
citizen, from one end Of the coun-
try to the other, will be appalled,
by the prospect now discernible
in North Carolina. 1t is no longer
possible to believe that the clamor
OF the whites is merely a revival
of the old Democratic trick to
catch votes and ride into official
place and prequlsitcs. On the
contrary, we are confronted with
headniesions of prolineutRepub-
licans 10 the effect that the Ques-
tlan is far deeper and more vital
that t Is, IN fact, a question OF
simple civilization. We are car
ri2,j bPck thirty years to the dark
and bloody episode Of reconstruc
ton, and see once more the men
G Of the struggle between an
archy ard organized society. That
menace IS ob~literatirg mere party
lines and Is bringing together
the whites, without reference o
political affiliations, in a solid
pbalanx Of SELF defense. The is
sue involves the preservation OF
enlightened institutions, of honest
government, Of law and order, of
the integrity Of the Caucasian
race. It is an issue that can have
but II termination.
Apparently, the viii g Republic
cans have gone too far in their eff
forts TO keep control OF the North
Carolina patronage. They have
simply repeated the malign and
sinister performances of the car
pet-baggers Of '68-'76, and invited
a similar catastrophe. The South
ern people have shown already
that hey cannot and will not sub
NIT to negro domination, with all
that that implies. The negro has
proved to the satisfaction of the
entire country that he is incapable
of conducting a civilized and
wholesome government. AS far
back as 1869, the Northern men
who went South to invest money
and make for themselves perma-
nent homes and legitimate careers.
recognized the unquestionahle fact
that local negro Iule was hopeless
" inconsistent with social order
and material prosperity, They
accordingly Joined the native
whites in all matters connected
with domestic politics, while vots
ing the Republican ticket in all
national contests. 1t was with
their aid and sympathy that the
South Il rev off the incumbus, and,
after eight long years Of tragedy,
stood erect al last. Ii seems, how
ever, that the North Carolina lead
ers have forgotten the lesson OF
thirty years ago, and are about &c
revive the horrors and cal4mlties
of shat abomtnabIe episode. We
dr@N .his conclusion, not from the
ontorses and jmprecations of Dem
oecatlc demago2uos and Office seek
ers, bu5 from the solemn utter
aaces OF white Republican officials.
Let US quote, for example, IRON
The put:ic declaration OF Mr.. Mo,
K ley's postmaster at Whining.
t,3, made IN the form OF an oper
lotter t. Senator Pritchard:
There is a greater feeling o.
unrest and uncertainty about the
maintenance OF order than l haYe
ever seeE. ard many, even tn,
most conservative, feel that
race conflict Is imminent, thar
which nothing could be nor'
disastrous, not only to this CITY
and county, but to u party il
the State, and rather than hav'
riot, arson, and bloodshed pre-
vail here, I, Republican though
I am, ADVISE giving up the loca
Office ia this county. as ther,
are natlonal political princi
piles involved in this contest.
Il ad thought 1t first that i
was merely the usual politica
cry aud the fight for the offess
but [ am now convinced the feel
ing Is much deeper than this. a
Ii perVades the whole community
and taare seems to be a settles
determination on the part of tn