The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-11-16

the North I might have expected to find
Wilmington under martial law, soldiers
and policemen guarding every corner, the
stores closed, business at a standstin. ter
rlned Inhabitants stunning the street
race weeping for its dead and. with hatred
IN their hearts, plotting death by poison
Knife and fire to those who had slain
them. But did not look for these things.
Tor l knew the Southern people. From the
indications upon the journey l might have
expected 10 ind danger and death ram
pant upon the highway, but l had felt
that what L had seen was the passing of
great waves that the storm center had
given place to a calm.
Nor was l mistaken. for in the glorious
sunlight Of a perfect day a beautiful and
prosperous city awaited me, and the per-
sous L saw there were not the realiza-
ions OF the dreams that distorted reports
OF the partisan Northern press had called
up A buXom negro girl. with laughing
lace and joyous tone, was calling to her
sweetheart on the other side of the street:
Coming over tonight, honey?''
1hefe was no excitement in the depot
and none on the street. Soldiers were in
evidence, but they did not even carry side
arms. The stores We're open, the streets
We're filled with traffic negroes were NOV
ing mere and there on business and pleas
.~' 80 ShN 4ANntAOtI4iS anu I1uCn less mo-
Testing them.
The city was on the surface in a normal
state Ii was alsafe, habitable city on
whose streets men, women and children,
whether White or negro could move freely
and without insult.
rms state of affairs is something extra
ordinary, few days ago race was ar
rayed against race. In the light of the
o'azng ruins of the scurrulous negro jour
nal whose dastardly attacks on the fair
fame of the white women of the South
the chivalry of white manhood removed
the stain from the name of their state
A few days ago the negro was afraid of
instant death by bullet and under the
pressure of-enraged leaders threatened ito
wash his hands in the blood of the white
men" A few days ago the white race for
their protection had been Obliged TO take
arms and with sorrowing hearts execute
the law that had not been carried out; re-
deem the pledges that the government had
made and left unfulhlled
But during few days publication had
taken place. The incompetent officials
have been persuaded to resign from their
offices and The administration had been
placed in the hands of strong and honest
men, men upon whom both the whites and
the negro eotld look for justice men who
were democratic in spirit as well as In
name
In two days the injustice of two years
was rectified, and the whole mass of dis
honest appointments and disgraced off
Gals We're cast from their places. In two
days the business men, the solid men of
Wilmington, had brought order out OF
chaos and had laid the foundation for the
future prosperity of the city
But it would be unwise to argue that
all has been accomplished-that nothing
remains to be done. There is much that
is unaccomplished. The stern treatment
of the disturbances here is but the first
lesson in a long course on which the negro
is now entering-a course not of coercion
not of abuse, not of oppression, but of help
full kindness, exact justice, of firm and
wise control
The white man realizes that errors have
been made IN the treatment of the Negro
problem The negro admits it, but these
errors are errors of overkindness of toe
much coddling, too much help and not OF
too much force.
The lesson a. Wilmington has come ir
time to prevent ANY apprehension of Z
race war, but it has come none too soon
If the lesson had been taught earlier i
would not have. been accompanied by
bloodshed
The negro admits to me that he is sure
the white man will not harm him IL h'
behaves himself. He admits that the white
man will protect and help him under like
circumstances.
To a study of the existant situation my
letters of the next few days win be be
voted. Guy Carleton Lee.