New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-12-05
THE PROBLEM IN WILMINGTON.
COLORED MANS VIEW PRESENTED BY
THE REV F. BUTLER TOMPKINS.
To the Editor Of The Tribune.


To the Editor Of The Tribune.
Sir: Your recent editorial on the race riots or
the South brought forth from the Rev Peyton
Hoge in The Tribune OF the 18th inst. compli-
mcnt TO yourself. but some erroneous and damag-
Ing statements about the colored people. beg
space speak not only for the colored people. but
the American people to ask not for sympathy,
but fair and impartial judgment
The Rev. Mr.. Hogc begins by introducing himself
as an historian lie gives historic account Of
the Wilmington riots. how the plan for them was
laid how the riots brought about. the parties
who brought them about; how these riots were
brough, to an end; how the new government was
obtained, and finally asks the question, how can
we keep this government?
There are certain qualifications necessary 10
every true historian He must be without preju-
dice he must be unbiased. and his interests must
be eliminated None of these qualities found
in the Rev. Mr.. Hoge. For he member OF
the Committee Of Twenty five which laid the plan
that led to instruction end rebellion; he paraded
the streets with the red-shrt men: he witnessed
and consented to the demolition Of Mr.. Manley's
printing press and the burning OF The Record
building The Rev. Mr. Hoge tells us himself that
this is true. The Rev Mr. McKelwey Editor OF
The North Carolina Presbyterian" told US In
THE independent" of last week that the Rev. Mt
Hoge was n member OF the Committee OF Twenty
five or the Executive Committee.
Being a partceps criminis OF the entire insurrec-
ton and revolution. 1t needs argument to prove
that he is a true historian. Let us. however,
negroes have never learned to think for them
not only to think but to act The Gospel of Jesus
Christ is making the negroes rich II Is opening me
liberty TO the souls that Gagged for ages. 1t IS
binding up their broken hearts; It is making these
people. who were things thirty-hve years ago, men
and women. It is this new condition that Is the
main cause Of the race RIOS In Wilmington ~ g.
1t is God working from within these wniIe hearts
in back 52q a9d no pow on f bsyn no
learned think for themselves, but they are learn
ing. and this Is troubling the Rev. Mr.. Hoge and
Again. the writer says: an this county lin which
Wilmington isl 50 per cent Of the school fund goes
that this statement is true, and say Amen. II IS
no wonder then that the negroes are beginning 10
breath. I'm spite OF all his, the negro is as far
from being httcd for the ballot as ne was thirty
educational system Of North Carolina must be the
mo-. faulty Of any in ths entire t p %9T6 Does eo net
both biassed and prejuGiced? Can any sane person
North South. believe that the coiored people
and ir 1nTg schoos or ha ss are no more
prepared for suffrage than they were when they
The Rev Mr. Hogc after making this extrava-
gart statement comes to the main problem IN
In Wilmington there are 1900 coored people and
300 white Tne question then com@s up wmo a nSS
white people? He argues that either the 500
white or the 1900 colored peoplse must rule The
will never rule for the AngloSaxOn has never
been ruled by Inferior race
ad absurdum for IN a republican, form OF govern
ment. which is government; OF. FOR and by the
have any right 70 rule but both have right to
rule and be ruled Citizenship knows no co.or
and the stat is in the citizen Both. whether
white or black have the same rights and PITY PITY
The Rev Mr. Hog@ says that the Anglo Saxon
should rule the negro because ne Is superior Is
-. ,ylr. So, a no
rlorlty Implies that the one has more and better
satellites than another. Has the negro had time
= full growth? Has ne had the same means. the
same opportunities and the same eagth OF time
for development that the Angels axon has? II
Give him a thousand years growth and then Judge
MN h me s5h al ne Of ef 5sr y' for only thirty
years. yet because OF his RAPID CROWN ne Is Drsn
What will he do in a thousand years under Amer
Let us come back to the mon problem: how TO
get these two classes Of people -i3Go blacks and
1000 whites-to live together as neghbors and 10
work together in harmony IS the question Let US
God with all thy heart and with all thy soul. and
on these two Observation-Disclosures hang all the law
and the prophets, These two comnandments are
the substratum OF the fresid. OF the STATE o. tne
Nation They our only safeguard Ihey
have and will solve al, problems Let the people
Of Wilmington adopt these, and the race RIOTS VII
be no more. Don't shoot your neisho9r 4 ne IS
black because he exercises his rights; don don
ingho,se don't advise the use OF the red shirt and
the shotgun when the ballot fails. but enter IN win
YOUR nelghbor. that you may gain some OF ms
power DO unto him as YOU would have him DO
unto YOU This IS Gods method. -.
Again. Or. Hoge makes the much-talked OF edi, : :
orial' in The Record Of the main causes OF
he riots, This Is bad reasoning for man who
The editorial was written IN the early part Of
August and could not nave been the cause ~ me
November rios but may have been me OCCASION
This pretext melted the mob to destroy the entire
plant Of The Record" This l. only the petition
Of the LoVejoy incident. and let II be reein Serrd
mat A monument Of ten million souls Is being
erected instead OF the one Of wood and stone ue-
mOlished. l., .h
Ioveioy lives ana is the central thought IN the
souls Of these ten million people. .
In his conclusion The Rev. Mr. Hoge tells us thai
I'VE (the people of Wilmington have as quiet ah9
orderly a town as you would wish TO see. ana
then asks this sad and lamentahe question But
can ". keep II SOP" How did you get II?
Men were murdered; men were kept from the
nolls. al the mouth Of the rifle the members, OF
he legally elected city government were comptiieG
To resign one by one. and your new government -
nor and was not by the suffrage OF the people
Your quiet and orderly town is built over a
volcano. You cannot keep II quiet ana orderly toi
this would be unnatural , ~ 1,,,r>,>,c
Nouyork Nov % 1898