The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1898-10-08
THE FACTS AND PROMISE OF NEGRO
RULE--A REVIEW.

From uay 10 Jay tHcFt HaNc apFH"iVu
| in the various papers of the State items
/ showing the conditions that prevail IN
those counties in the Eastern part 9f
/ the State where negroes are mos mum
ero,is and some from the sections where
tho negro is numerically comparatively
weak. These incidents, utteranees and
statistics are so we'll authenticated that
their truthfulness cannot be questioned.
In general it may be said that this
mass of facts, as published, shows that
in large sections Of the State the negro
is almost absolute n his political asccn-
dency, and that the reactioDary effect
upon the race in those sections has been
such as to greatly increase crime and
decrease respect for the law: that it has
led to innumerable acts on the part of
negroes which, while not actually
criminal, are as offensive to respectable
white people as offences for which the
law prescribes a penalty; that it has So
changed the attitude Of the negro toward
the white man as to provoke enmity and
ill-fecling between the Utces, and has
made the negro insolcnt ana often i'll
sulting where such conduct is wholly
without provocation Or excuse.
These matters, as published, have also
established that in the contest for supre
macy, which is now being waged be-
tween the whites and blacks, the latter
have forced the issue and not the former;
that so far is the white man, speaking
through the Democratic party, from max
ing war on the negro that he is actually
fighting in the defensive and that he is
aggressive only in repclling the inroads
of the negro upon those privileges of the
white man which are his by virtue rf the
superiority of his race, and which pa
triotism and the public good inperatively
demand that he shall preserve.
As these incidents have been published
from time to time self-scaking white
dema gogues. who are willing to subject
white citizens to the iu1ignlties and dan.
gers of negro rule for tie sake of get
ting or retaining office. have charged
that the incidents were unluly nagni-
fled, and that the temper and bearing
of the negro was not to BIZ judged by
them. Mems general conduct is judged
and determined by the small actions of
their daily life and so the character uf
communities must be measured by incl
dents of daily happening. That one
negro should push white lady off the
sidewalk would not show that all the ne
groes of the town were insolent toward
the whites, but when such things are
matters of common experience the case
makes itself out clearly and unequlvocai-
~.
DOES NEGRO RULE ENiST?
Negro rule has been most studied III
Craven and New Hanover counties, both
because it is most absolute in those coun-
ties and because the metropolis or the
State, Wilmington, is in the latter, and
Newborn, one of the Oldest and most Inn
portant towns in the State, is in the 9TH
err The data for these two counties is
most completes, but there are a number
of other counties where the percentage
of negro officials is nearly as high and
where the blightng effects of negro rule
are exemplified only in less degree.
In Craven county alone there are 50
negro officials beside such petty officers
as road overseers, etc There are u
negro magistrates. as certified by the
clerk of the court.
The deputy sherffs Of the county are
all negroes as follows: Nathan Cobb
J. III. Fisher, Willis Petipher, J. G..
Payne and G. r. Physic.
There are twelve negro school commit
teemen as follows: III. Il. Dawson, Joha
A. Dixon. Jr., w. ID. Pcttipher, Thos l..
Moore, Jonas Hargett, w. Il. Morgan.
Nero Groom, John II. Holland, Jesse
Brooks, Robert X. Davis, w. w. Law
renee and II. w Williamson.
In the town of Newborn there are the
following negro policemen: Isaac Rich
ardson. T. G. Baker. Henry Pasteur, y.
4. Bryant and Bob Moseley.
The following negroes are on the Board
Of town Commissioners: W. III. John
son, J. E. Shepherd and elias Hays. In
the Register Of Deeds office are tw,
negro clerks, A. w. Weatherington and
George Willis
The complexion Of the Republican coun
ty ticket for this year appears in the
following: For register of deeds, j. Il.
Willis. negro; for treasurer, Chris Roach,
negro; for the House Of Representatives,
Isaac III. Smith, negro; coroner, w. l..
Lassiter. negro; county commissioner, II.
G. Mostly, negro; township constable, j.
=. Stanly, negro; county standard keep
or. James Dudley, negro.
Smith has been twice convicted of for
gerry and nolled a charge of perjury.
The negroes in this county, according
to the county supervisors annual report
from July LIST, 1897. TO July 1st, 1893,
have property valued and assessed mt
1868. 321. The assessed value Of pro-
perty of the whites is $2,63S.320. more
than seven times the value Of the pro
perty of the negroes.
In New Hanover county there are 81
know negro officers. There are 10 ne
gro magistrate ties alone in the county
Wilmington has a policemen, Is of
whom are negroes. The names Of the
negro policemen on regular duty are:
Sergeant Ii. Il. Green, Officers Thomas
Moore, Joseph Sharp Frank Toomer.
William Richardson, Joe Anderson, Hen
Whitehead, David Bryant, George
Bell, John Spicer, and John Carroll.
Wilmington has also four health Off
GERS, all colored: Isaac Barnett, George
Sye, John Lee and Jack Moore. In addi-
ton, there are six deputy sheriffs, four
of whom are colored. viz: Buck
Wright. Ed Bryant, Tony Ashe and
John Voofield And. to make the list
complete. she has negro register Of
deeds. G. w Norwood, with two ne
gro clerks. n negro coroner David