The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-11-25

since the Democrats GDpalneo Con.
troll Of the state
Believing that the following letter
will be interestir to our readers, we
ublish it. Wheth : the New York Tri-
bune will be fair enough % our peo-
pie to give it room in its tplumns, re-
mains to be seen.
Wilmington, N. c., November 10.
New York Tribune:
I have been attracted and entertain
ed by an editorial from your paper
copied in The Wilmington On. c. Mes
senger of November 18Th. The usual
editorial expressions in northern pa
pers on happenings in the south grow
ing out Of the negro pl oblem deserve
no notice { ON t~hOughtful SOuthernerS,
because they are rabidly partisan and
grossly ignorant; but the editorial
from your paper above referred to is
thoughtful, and manifests a desire to
get at the real situation and to deal
honestly by us. Therefore, l desire 10
call your attention to certain facts
which you either ayc not aware Of, or
overlook.
The following quotation is made
from your EDITORIAL:
eff the people Of the southern
states would frankly say that they
wanted to be ruled by their best
rather han their worst citizens,
and proceeded to shut out from
suffrage undesirable white voters
on the same terms as the undesir-
able blacks, there would be one
solution. If they would devote
themselves heartily to the work Of
training gnOrant voters 30 as to
secure good government from them,
that would be q better, though a
slower, process; but as it is, they
retard rather than promote the ad-
Vanccmcnt and reform of the most
dangerous element in their pOpula-
ton, and l~egislate, not against ig-
norance and vice for their own
sake. but against them as exhibit
cd by negroes"
Now, as a matter of fact, We have
always said that we desired to be rul-
ed by our best citizI ms. and we would
all along have been doing so, had not
the country committed the stupendOus
mistake of endOWing the negro with
the right of suffrage. Had that not
been done the recent deplOrable con-
flict in our city would never have Oc-
Cured. That having been done, it
made it impossible for any community
where negroes predOminated to be rul-
ed by it's best citizens. Will the cOun-
try now permit us to be governed by
our best citizens?
You say: IL tney tSOuI1efn peOple)
would devote themselves heartily to
the work of training ignorant voters,
etc" We have been doing our utmost
to train the negro voter for tWenty-SlX
years. In this state the whites pay
9615 per cent. of the taxes, the negroes
315 per cent. The proportion of the
school fund paid by negroes is some
what larger than the above.
The school fund is divided between
the whites and blacks on a per capita
basis. 50 that in communities where
the negro predOminates, the negro
schools get the bulk of the money.
This has been going on since the
whites secured control in 1872. We
have provided them with free schools
in country districts, and graded schools
in towns. We have given them an ag-
ricultural and mechanical college, and
various schools for the training of
their teachers. Now what else should
we do. think you, before it can be fair
1y said that we have devoted ourselves
to training ignorant voters?
Again you say that we "retard rath-
err than promote the negroes ad-
vancement and ''1egislate not against
ignorance and vice" per Sc but against
them as exhibited by the negro. Will
you point out wherein we do that? /
have no doubt that our statute books
are accessible to you: will you desig-
nate one such piece of legislation? On
the contrary, in addition to the schools
pOrvided as above, which we suppose
may fairly be taken as evidence of
some effort on our part to promote the
negroes advancement, and the laws
which provide for these schools as
some legislation against ignorance and
vice per Sc: in addition to them, | say
We have provided the negro With
schools for the education and training
OF his deaf. dumb and blind and with
aSylumS for the care of the insane of
his people. There are houses. under
proper CuStOdianS, in every county in
the state for the care and protection
of their aged and destitute. The cOun-
ty of New Hanover, in which the city
of Wilmington is located. is now pay
ing $3.50 each month for the assistance
of the poor of the negro race outside
those houses and 1925 per month for
the whites in the same way. The cree
ton of negro churches is made posi-
BILE by the generous contributions of
white men. In all other. except cleo
ton matters. the negroes seek unre-
servedIy the counsel and assistance OF
the whites. in the daily problems of
their lives and receive them without
stint. In the face of these facts can
you justly say that we retard the adj
vanCement of the negro?
Furthermore | commend to your
consideration the question whether
democracy. i. e., government by the
people. ever contemplated the sudden
injection into the body of the people
of a relatively tremendous number Of
men who were SavageS as compared
with the native population and really
aliens? And if. that being done, we
then find that universal suffrage under
the influx of such an alien element
will result in the arrest of material
progress. and will destroy the fruits
of civilization, can We truthfully say
that. therefore,. democracy has failed?
The pure and ideal democratic phi
lanthrophy" no more contemplated the
admission of the southern slaves to
the full right of suffrage, Immediately
upon being given their freedom. than
it contemplated or required the adj
mission of the North American ndiar
to that right.
If You really desire to do something