The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1898-11-24


the mayor and aldermen. But the
resolutions being passed and signed,
every possible consideration demand
ed their enforcement. When the
time limit had expired the citizens
marched without resistance, 10 the
Record office, Colonel \. NJ. Waddell
at their head. The point is that
there was no resistance by the con-
stituted authorities to the destruc-
ton Of the printing office. By acct
dent, it is declared by those whose
character entities them 10 be be-
lievcd, the building caught fire. BY
the efforts of the white citizens the
negro church and dwellings close by
were saved. But that was the be-
ginning Of confusion. The negroes
were more to be feared for their
cOwardice than for their courage.
One Of them fired pistol, wounding
a white man, a volley was fired in
return, and the long deferred race
COLLECT was on. If motives Of cruelty
instead Of self-dcfence had prevailed
the killed and wounded among the
negroes would have been numbered
by the hundred or the thousand. AS
it was eleven negroes were killed.
several were ordered to leave the
city, together with some of their
white leaders, and three white men
were wounded. The mayor and
proved to the world their untitness
for their position by resigning, one
by one, and electing one by one, sue
ccssors from the citizens committee.
The new board of aldermen elected
Colonel Waddell, mayor, and from
that moment order began to reign.
The MAYOR marched to the Jail
where some Of the negro ring-leaders
ha@ been imprisoned and protected
the prisoners from mob. A little
later one of the white men who had
instigated the negroes to violence
was rescued from death at the hands
of a mob. Special policemen were
sworn in, the city patrolled by them
and the military companies who had
arrived at the scene, and all other
citizens, white and black, ordered to
disarm and preserve the peace.
The difference between the old
Government and the new is that the
new has the power OF the sword.
And it has that power because there
are back of it the forces Of morality,
intelligence, courage, capacity and
character in the city, banded to-
gether by all that makes life sweet
and home dear.
But the ability to rule involves the
right of suffrage, under the Govern
ment. The power of the sword finds
modern expression in the formula,
do not allow our women and children
to vote, however intelligent; they
have not the power to enforce, by
arms if need be, the decisions of the
ballot-boX. SO, a man who is kept
away from the polls by the firing of a
cannon or the parade of men on
horseback clad in red flannel shirts,
is not entitled to vote, because he
would be worthless in upholding the
decision Of the ballots. SO that
"manhood suffrage" needs to have a
new meaning put into it, with the.
emphasis on manhood. The greatest
political crime of this century was
the bestOwal of unlimited suffrage
upon race, one or two generations
removed from barbarism and Just
released from slavery, a race that in
all the millenniums of its history
had never proved itself capable Of
self-Governmcnt. A generation of
freedom has not made the negro APP
probably more capable of self-Gov-
eminent, nor will his mere nomerical
superiority ever put the Government
of his white neighbor into his hands.
/ is better to know than to think.
1t will be better for plans of Gov
eminent TO be based upon facts than
upon ideal theories. That was anew
Declaration of independence that was
signed at Wilmington the other day
and its preamble makes an appeal to
enlightenment everywhere "Believ
ing that the constitution of the
United States contemplated Gov
eminent to be carried on by an en-
lightened people"
North Carolina owes it to herself
as duty of first consideration so to
amend the suffrage laws as to remove
forever the possibility of any but an
enlightened Government. With ex-
ceptons which should be and will
be made, putting premium upon
education and thrift, the suffrage
should be taken from race whose
ignorance. venality and cowardice
has been a standing temptation to
fraud, corruption and violence.
1t will be infinitely better for the
negro himself to forego his ambition
to rule until he has proved hi mself
worthy. He owes to the Southern
people that for which the ballot is
small compensation. the right to
make living. The proposal of the
people of Wilmington to give to
white men large part of the employ
ment heretofore given to negroes is
the first action of it's kind, we be-
leve. in the South. and will not be
carried out. unless necessary. In
Wilmington itself, the negroes have
received more money for their
public schools than the whites be-
cause it was distributed per capita.
If that law is changed the negro will
have himself to thank The South
ern white man cannot afford to en-
dorse the brutal language of the Gov
ernor of Illinois, who is quoted as
saying:
Il reiterate that | will not tolerate
this Wholesale importation of for
eigners into Illinois. And if hear
that mob is to be brought into this
State such as was taken into Virden.
l care not on what railroad it comes
or for whom. ! will meet it at the
State line and shoot it to pieces with
Calling guns
When the negro learns to take he
advice of Booker Washington. the
greatest man of his race to-day. and
devote himself to industrial pursuits;