The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-10-18
WHO IS THE FRIEND or THE NEGRO.

"The white people of the State pay
96 % per cent of the property tax of the
| State. and the negro pays but l-3 per
cont. the white man pays 70 per cent of
the poll tax and the negro % per cent
| in all the white people pay 50 per cent OF
| all the taxes. But when it comes to
| count out the school money, each little
negro gets a dollar with each little white
child. Yet when the negro goes to the
polls he votes against the Democratic
nartv-against the white mamie draws
| the color line.
All of which suggests the different
WAYS in which the Republican and Demo
cratic parties are friends to the ne.
gro"
This method of taxation by which the
white man pays the tax to educate the
children Of the negro, giving them dol
lar for dollar with the whites. was in
stituted and maintained, by the Demo
cratic party. The Democratic party as
sumes that the negro does not exist fol
the sole end of voting; that he IS not
merely political atom; but that he is
being upon whose shoulders the RESPONSE
bilities of citizenship were cast before he
was fitted to bear them; that he has
moral and material rs well as political
interests. Starting with this understand
ing of him the Democratic party has
striven to make of the negro an intelli-
gent self-respecting self-reliant man to
the end that he might become n valuable
citizen with a just conception of his
duties as such.
The Republican party has seen in him
nothing above or beyond being with the
privilege of suffrage, and therefore a pc
litical power to be used and exploited for
the selfish interests of party leaders.
And though the negro followed almost
solidly the party that offered him the
empty baubles of political preferment
and prediction fattery instead of the
party that gave him schools and materia
aid, the latter never wavered in its high
sense of guardianship for the negro as
helpless and credulous race. 1t never
grumbled at the taxes for his schools nor
attempted to deprive him of his ballot
These facts. those ultra-sentimental indi-
viduals who are impressed with the
dema gogical cry of the fusionist, 1.-THE
Democratic party is making war on the
negro" would do well to advert to at
odd times.
In return for the aid and comfort that
the Democratic party has given the negro
it has asked at his hands naught but some
signs of progress toward civil intelli-
gence. 1t has not been willing to turn
over to his untried hands the machinery
of government that he may vaunt him.
self over white men in idle and childish
vanity. But as he has advanced in knowl-
edge and civilization under its guidance
the Democratic party has evinced an in
tention to turn over to him more and
more the management of all affairs per-
htailnng exclusively to his own race. More
than that, it does not concede and will
not concede With this the more intelli-
and with this all members of the race
will have to be content.
The Democratic party seeks to throw
in the way OF the negro all opportunities
for his betterment 1t denies him what
he is foolish to expect-an opportunity
to rule over white men. The Republican
party leaves the negro to shift for him.
self except in election years when it
seeks his vote by dangling before him
positions where white men will be under
him.
The Democratic party regards the
negro as man to be helped. The Re
publican party refards him as a political
tool to be used. Let the chivalrous soul
who is affrighted with the fusion talk
about war on the helpless negro" apply
this bit of JUNCTION to his quivering sensi-
bilities.