El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1898-11-16
'ThiS Is Revolution"
Buffalo Express


There must be q strain of Spanish in
the people of the Caroliuas. The events
which have occurred in those states in
the last few days are nothing less than
revolution. The political tactics en-
ployed there have all the marks of the
insurrectiouary OutburstS which cause
such frequent Overturnings of govern
meuts in South American republics.
1t is frequently said by An
glo- Ssxons that South American revo-
buttons show the people unfit for self
rule. 1t is proposed to put Cuba on q
long period of probation before trust
ing her with self-rule in order to guard
against this tendency. What shall we
say of our own people in the Carolin as?
What capacity are they showing for
self-rule?
1t is q misnomer to call these revolu-
tions in the Carolinas race wars. The
sptipathy of the more lawless
elements among the whites to negroes
has been taken advantage of by
reckless politicians to inhame popular
passions, but the governments which
have been violently overthrow were
not negro governments. The depOsed
mayor of Wilmington was not q negro.
The chief of police, who fled from the
town for his life. was not a negro.
The governor of the state, who feared
to go home and vote, WAS not a negro.
Some negroes have held minor offices,
but most in the black counties, where
there has been no disturbance and
where q negro representa- in con-
gress has been elected this year.
The Tolbert family in South Caro-
lima, who have been the object Of the
mob's wrath there, are white men.
One Of them, who ia now q fugitive,
covered with wounds and fleeing for
his life toward the north, is chairman
OF the republican state committee and
collector Of the port of Charleston, and
this appears to be the chief reason why
he has been attacked.
It is an insurrection Of q political
party-the democratic pnrty-which,
casting aside the ballot boxes, seizes
power by force of arms. Who heard
anything about negro domination in
Wilmington, or anywhere else in North
Carolina, until q political campaign
began and democratic politicians
needed the negro-domination cry? The
negroes had generally voted the popu-
list republican ticket, but the fusion
party was white mans party, domi-
mated and directed by white men. The
negroes of North Carolina have long
progressive in the south. There in
Wilmington they had daily
newspaper of their own and were
quiet, orderly and peaceable. On the
very day of the riots most of them
had gone to their regular work and
were only called therefrom after
the attack on the negro quarter
had begun by reports that their
wives and children were in danger.
They had sent notice to the leaders of
the whites that they would use their
Influence with the Objectionable negro
Editor to get him to leave town. They
had shown willingness to give up
their rights as electors and to comply
with practically every demand of the
mob for the sake of avoiding trouble,
and even then, they were attacked and
massacred.
1t is shameful story and yet it Is
only q repetition of what has happened
before. BY exactly similar means the
bully element seized power in all the
southern states as soon as federal
troops were withdrawn after the civil
war, and the worst Outrage5 of the old
kukluxism occurred after this element
had secured power, just as now in
North Carolina the killing
begins after the election has been won,
not for the purpose of winning 1t.
When the democratic party liz South
Carolina split into rival factions few
years ago, there was repetition OF
the same violent scenes, only the law
lessness was between whites. Tillman
established himself in power by the
use of shot guns, overaweing the older
and more conservative wing represent
ed by'Gen. Butler, who is now serving
in the volunteer army. Tom Watson s