The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-11-22
Ole Wessengm.
REVIEW AND COMMENTS

EtructIVe cOmIQuHlCdIloho SShS
Wilmington concerning the late revo-
tuition wrought and causes, facts and
Incident are those from the pen OF
Professor Lee, Of Johns Hopkins n
yersity. Baltimore. They are singular
ty calm, correct, and full of facts ana
observation We have read them so
far as the one Of the 14th, and they
are instructive and fair and almost
absolutely correct. If northern editors
would really understand the exact
conditions in Wilmington, and the
evils Of fusion supremacy in North
Carolina it would be the proper thing
for them to do to study the articles
bv Professor Lee in The Baltimore
Sun. He has done an admirable and
able work for the truth, and IN SO
doing has served excellently the peo-
ple of this city.
Take his letter Of the 14th, and II
you have never lived under negro rule
and felt it's unbearableness you can
nave a correct understanding Of what
1T is and what are it's consequences.
We read with marked interest that let
ter because of it's condensed ernbodl-
ment of facts that were educating
TThey were not new to the intelligent
people living here, n who had been
personally subjected to disagreeaole
experiences growing out of bad condl-
tions, but they were refreshing and
emphatic in the expression Of truth,
and q revelation to those beyond the
scene here.
PROFESSOR Lee starts with Russell
enthroned, what followed. The people
generally throughout North Caroilna
understand we'll what Russellism sig
miles and what is it's record. 1t is maui
seous and obnoxious, a disgrace to an
old commonwealth and of blasting re-
suits. Professor Lee says that Russell
from the start bestowed his gracious
smiles and favors upon his "savages'
and manifested an cutter disregard
for the interests of the white tax pay
ers." Russell is the only we'll born
white man of education and ability we
have ever seen or heard Of in the
of a gentleman. 1t is a positive offence
to him to be of that kind.
Professor Lee says correctly that all
the white observation-disclosures de
sirous that the city government siould
be we'll conducted and awaited the re-
publican experiment with interest
He then correctly presents the change
that took place in the negro when
he believed himself in the saddle and
master of the situation. Sudden power
turned their heads and they abused
the occasion. Outrages Of many kinds
broke out and a sort of anarchic ter
rorism followed. He says:
"The record of insults is large. The
wives and daughters of whites were
unsafe alone on the streets after night
fall. Even in the day time the most
aggravated forms of conduct made
white women shun the presence Of a
negro.
The proportion of negro criminals
to whites increased and according TO
statistics furnished by the clerk Of the
criminal court over So per cent. of the
criminals were negroes. But these
criminals went unpunished. Ihe re
publican courts and negro juries refus-
ed to convict a negro unless the pun
ishment was in the discretion OF the
judge, in Whlcn case lhe 0ShIclO''
were farceS.
"Straw bail was openly and noto-
riously taken and justice became a
EraveSty.'
There is not in all yankeedoodledom
n Immunity that would have borne
such desperate conditions for a week,
much less for many months running
into a year.
Professor Lee treats the demands OF
negroes for more school money COM
ing out of the white mans pocket
whom they were furnishing n lnJur-
ing with their bad rule. They got %
cents in every dollar of the school
fund. but demanded more, While near
Nv every cent was paid by the white
tax payers. The professor tells how
the negro contributes to negro char-
fties. He gave nothing; the whites
gave all; the negro got all the beneht
Let us parenthetically say here tina
Che white men of this city are very
tired indeed of being taxed to educate
negro children. We nave not lately
conversed with a single white tax pay
GER who has not thought it entirely In
order for the legislature to make nc
more appropriation for negro free
schools. If there is a constitutions
barrier to discrimination there is nc
law of compulsion as to taxing whites
for free schools. The way to accom-
plish the end sought is not to make
any appropriation for 1899 and 1900, fol
public primary schools or any Other
THAT compels a division Of the fund be
tween the races. Let the whites as
sumo in all counties their share of thu
school burdens, n keep up ever
more efficiently the free schools fol
whites by voluntary contributions.
After awhile it can be made possible
10 resume the white schools in the ole
way by taxation.