The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-11-20
AS SEEN BY A
NORTHERN MAN.
Inscriptions Whites to Blame for
Race Troubles in the South.
A WRETCHED STATE OF AFFAIRS.
Although a Republican lie soon saw
i'm Eastern North Carolina ihat
the Whites were Right in OPP
posing Negro Domination.

~. 1ob, y Coffin. a Northern man.
writes 10 tine WASHINGTON AoS' "'oN'
Danville Va. as f0llOWs'
Isdttor Posi-. Reading an editorial IN
,bc PHILADELPHIA Press OF the llth In
stant 1 concluded 10 do something
nave been contemplating for some tme'
and do ID at oncc-that Is, write an ar
ticle on tho situation In the CaroHnaS
nom the standpoint OF a Northern man,
ana one who for the past ten years has
neon "A resident Of the CarOlinas, and IS
fborourhly acquainted with the status OF
the negro in politics. ] was born a X
uiihIlcan. being introduced 10 tho woIlu
in Massachusetts, in the first year OF the
Republican party's existence. was
strong Republican as a boy, ana reached
z Republican manhood in the state OF
Kansas. which at that time-lS'o-Was an
almost unanimously KcpuDilcdh state
/ was for many years publisher and ed
itor of Republican papers, and wOulc as
soon have thought OF selling my Dirlh-
right as Of deserving the Republican party
This state OF mind continued uiiui 'ei
years ago. I travelled through the Atian-
tic coast States and saw the condition OF
things politically. soon after that time
in 1851 settled at Florence, ;. C.,
section of the state whore the races were
very evenly divided. though the white
man ruled. I saw then, and / sull see no
way N which a self respecting, educated
or intelligent white man can vote with
the Republican party in the South, IN
local affairs. The few white leaders
among the Republicans In the slack
Districts" are leaders simply for office,
with no higher aim; no higher aspera-
lions than the money they can make;
the notoriety they can attain. and the
petty power they can exercise.
A FOOL OR A KNAVE
For some weeks prior to the recent
election j was in the several counties or
Eastern North Carolina, and l can hon
estly say. I'm my opinion. that any man
coming from the North or elsewhere,
who could see what / saw, and keep his
Republican procliyities in local politics,
is either fool or a kn2ve. There are
many good men who arc Republicans in
the western portion OF the CarollnaS, but
they have not been thrown into contact
with the results as have those Of the
Eastern portion Of the state. Thissyear,
however. the condition had become 50
rotten that the stencil from the Eastern
counties was waited 8ike a great MAS
matte cloud over the Western counties,
rising from the borders OF the ocean and
ascending even TO the clouds which cap
the Blue Ridge, and a response came
which swept the State or much or It's
disease. The peOple Of the Eastern coun-
nothing against the negro; they gave him
employment: they feed. they educate
him. paying about IS per cent. Of the
taxes: the whites build school houses
and tax themselves to help him. What.
then, Is the cause OF the great feeling Of
the recent election? The negro. in poll
tics IS not a unit individually, but a unit
collectively. The negro does not vote for
principle or upon party issues, unless you
call his principle the tahsmanic word Re
publican For this word he will sell his
host friend and benefactor; for this word
he viii place in office a drunken sOt or a
knave; Tor this word he will turn over
TO rotten officials the power 20 destroy
the property OF his employer and make
II practically valueloss. The negro knows
no such word rs gratitude when he IS
voting-some will say that 81 IS in graft
tude that he votes the Republican ticket
but il is not so IL is because he is pet
ted, patted and caioled by ofiice-seek-
ers, who are really his worst enemies
THE VINUS WORKING.
There is another reason-he has had q
taste OF Office holding. Negroes who
could not read or write have held seats
In the Legislatures of both North and
South Carolina in the past; they hold
Offices now for which they have no fit
ness. mentally or morally. Hundreds OF