Evening star., 1898-11-11
North CaroIina's Shame.

The situation in Wilmington, N. C., as 1t
stands today, calls for emphatic condemna-
ton of the course pursued by the White
citizens who have been seeking to put an
end to negro rule in that city and else
where through the state. Whatever may
have been their provocatiou. they have re-
sorted to the most radical of measures
without necessity and blOodshed has been
the logical consequence. the responsibility
for which rests squarely upon them and
them alone.
The anomalous political conditions preva-
lent in many parts of the state assuredly
gave the better classes cause for discon-
tent and protest. The measures adopted
to put an end to negro domination were
startling. but were apparently for time
kept within the letter of the criminal law,
The avowed purpose of the demonstration
was to frighten the negroes away from the
polls in order that a legislature might be
chosen by the whites TO pass laws which
should prevent a recurrence of the condi-
TORS complained of by the whites.
The parading of red-shirted and armed
men. the holding of meetings, the delivery
of infammatory and threatening speeches,
together with frequent evidences of a de-
termination on the part of the whites to
had the desired effect of keeping the ne
groes away from the polls on election day,
they having previously withdrawn their
local tickets. The result of the voting was
the triumph of the whites. which assured
that the program of legislation and the po-
litica1 repression of the blacks would be
fully carried out
Up to this point the whites acted with
what. under the local circumstances. might
be considered as some measure of restraint
But, always happens in such case, the
spirit of lawleSsness once invoked would
not down. Not satisfied with their victory
the whites lost no time, after the election,
in batting the negroes whom they had awed
into submission and who, according to all
accounts, were anxious only to be left
alone and permitted to work and live.
They took immediate opportunity to order
the expulsion of a Ibelous negro editor
and to demand the designations of the
mayor and the chief of police. They thus
overturned a republican form of govern
ment in their prediction proceedings. and
then deliberately created a condition after
election which was no less than anarchy.
The descent on the newspaper office which
was the focus of their rage was useless and
its burning crime. The mob, for the
committee and its cohorts can be Faithfully
called by no other name, fired pistols in
the air, 10 frighten the already scared ne
grOes. Nothing seems TO have been left
undOne which would tend to further de-
mOralize the blacks. who. naturally sus-
picious. had good reason to fear a general
massacre.
Apparently the leaders of the white mems
movement failed to consider that in thus
organizing a revolutionary campaign they
were bidding for the worst passions of the
radical and lawless element who. fired with
hatred Of the blacks and lacking in iudg-
ment, were practically sure to carry mat
ters to extreme The fighting which
happened as q consequence of Yesterdays
proceedings at the newspaper office was
doubtless the result of this intemperate
spirit on the part of the dominant party.
Had the whites conducted their campaign
throughout on the lines of their early pro-
ceedings they would have found many de-
tenders on the plea of peculiar. local ne
cessity. But now that they, after their
point was gained, have wantonIy commit
ted arson and murder they are deserving of
no consideration from the better balanced
portions of the country. The governor of
the state has been apparently frightened
into a weak aCquiescence in the revolution
airy proceedings at Wilmington, for he has
failed utterly to take any steps to prevent
the suhversion of government He could
logically have called upon the authorities
in this city for aid in coping with a condi-
tion which mastered his own resources and
doubtless such action on his part would
have prevented yesterdays tragedy. with
It's train of depioraDie consequences