The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1898-10-14
Is the Negro Lapsing Into Barberism


1t is the belief of some biologists that
the negro has not gained sufficient moral
development to reach and sustain thor
oughly civilized state, but lapses toward
barbarism when left to his self sustaining
powers, and the prop of the white race is
withdrawn from him. 1t is not denied
that there are many very noble excep-
tons, that men of the colored race have
attained lofty eminence in learning
and civilization, but that the mass of the
race show many and strong symptoms Of
descent in place of ascent in the scale OF
| life.
1t is certain that the younger genera
ton of negroes in this State show a
marked tendency to degenerate. They
are considerably below the level of their
ancestors of but one generation removed.
They are vastly more inclined to idle
vagabondage than their parents and
grandparents. Idleness, ruffianism and
drunkenness are steadily on the increase
among the young generation. The fire.
queut assaults on white women by these
black toughs and murders committed
within the last year or two, are strong
symptoms of moral degeneracy, and
thoughtful people are seriously consider
ing the problem presented by this alarm
ing symptom of retrograding tendency of
the "colored brother.'
Politicians ofthe Democratic party are
not slow in laying hold of this manifest
tendency of the black race to charge it to
the influence of the Republican party.
The colored voter casts his vote steadily
for Mas Lincum." The trait has been
transmitted religiously from father to son,
and the negro has come to believe that
he is controlling element in the Repub-
lican party which the party cannot afford
to dispense with, and this he assumes,
grants him license to be idle, impudent,
play the rowdy and commit criminal
assaults on white women whenever he
may meet one unprotected. This stirs all
the ferocious tiger nature in the white
blood and lynching is the inevitable re-
suit. Summary vengeance is almost
deadly consequence.
The negro voter is game for the cleo
ton briber and his vote is becoming more
| and more an article of common merchant
disc on election day. The negro's belief
that he is the main stay of the Republican
party i'll this State, and that if he with
holds his vote the party is doomed to
utter defeat and ruin, makes him more
exacting in his demands, and he shows
tendency to steadily advance the price of
his vote and demand recognition in the
more substantial reward for his service in
liberal share of the Offices.
The Democrats are not slow i'll making
this argument against the Republican
party, and it is likely to have telling
effect in the future. That. the young
negroes are steadily growing "ornier,"
that the Republican party claims a pre-
emptors right to the "colored brothers"
vote because MAS Lincutu" emanci-
pated his ancestors, are undeniable facts
which give color to the Democratic poll
tician's charge, and the negro is very
willing to use the argument to extort
money for his vote on election day.
The vote traffic is not confined entirely
to the colored race, many of the poorer
class of whites are considering whether or
not all their vote is worth to them is what
they can get in cash for it, and the price
is being steadily advanced on the vote
brokers.
In the first congressional district of this |
State the financial feature of politics has
become so serious as TO threaten bank
ruptcy to candidates and parties, and the
COMMITTEES of both parties have held
joint conference to adopt measures by
which to escape the ruinous traffic in
votes.
1t is doubtful if much relief will be
found in such treaty Contracts entered |
into between political parties to be honest
are the most unreliable of all contracts.
The only remedy for rotten politics is to
bring the people closer to the lawmaking
power, in fact make the the people them
selves the lawmakers at the polls. Direct
legislation is the only remedy in sight or
the only conceivable remedy. That will
cure corrupt politics and make the Amer
lean citizen a citizen clothed with the
power of citizenship indeed, and the
owner and disposer of his own vote.
Under present delegated power he is
neither and is the prey of the vote buyer
and vote seller at his primaries and in his
conventions, and of the boodler and lobby |
in the halls of legislation. The corrupt
ing power of money in our politics is
finding its way to the judges bench, to
the great colleges and grand church
pulpits Through the bought vote an
aristocracy of wealth is rapidly usurping
Republican government and converting
it into an oligarchy.