The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1898-09-30

We have addressed this article &c
white men. in keeping with the APP
peal which our democratic state COM
mittee makes under its wise plan OF
campaign. Really the matter concerns
those OF our colored voters who are
not office ecker in very great degree
also: but long experience has taught
the democratic party hat IL has moth
ing TO hope from them. IL is they who
have drawn the color line. voting SOL
idly against their white neighbors and
benefactors in every election OF mo-
ment. And yet We take occasion 10
say here, what we ave so often said
before. that the democratic whites
pear nothing but kindly feeling To the
colored race. and intend, If work will
accomplish IL, TO save them from
themselves and their designing white
and black leaders by restoring that
just rule OF the superior race under
which both races enjoyed their great
est ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Observer.
We recur TO the question asked a
week or two ago. Why Is Ii that the
white people of North Carolina will
stay divided while the black people are
solid? II the blacks think that in this
solidarity they ave a community Of
interest. why have not the whites a
like interest in standin together? The
black people Will not come over To US
for the accomplishment OF any politi-
cal purpose-why should we go over 10
them? The democrats are charged
with drawing the color line in his
campaign and a great cutlery is made
about il. But il is not the whites but
the blacks who have drawn the color
line. Congressman Geo. H. White. col
ored, of the Second district. said in n
speech before the republican state
convention. referring TO the color line.
Il invite the issue" This was a mis-
use of terms. He did not really mean
hat he invited the issue. for that
would simply accept of a CHALLENGE.
The fact is that he and his people
made it and it is the whites who are
the challenged party.-Charlotte OBJ
server.
The people may differ upon matters
of opinion and OF policy. but parties
are not made in a day. The democrat
ic party is here because it has n mis-
sion. 1t is not a perfect party. be
cause il is composed of imperfect men,
but it is by long odds the best party
the sun shines IN. There are bad men
in it no doubt: there are tricksters and
wire pullers. We have no apology to
offer for their existence. Our quarrel
with our friends who went off on this
"ItoullI = bIidl blltN Ntit IoN EIdNkl-
CAL: they weakened the hands OF the
faithful, and in r~epudiating one set of
bosses too refuge with another. The
boss thriVeS in every organization in
the proportion the members will sub
nit to his domination. Party very Of
ten gets the blame that belongs to hui
man nature, so prone are we to charge
other people with our failures. The
Farmers alliance did both itself and
the democratic party a service in 1890
when it turned its attention to the
regeneration of the party. Every de-
mand it made was acceded TO and the
largest democratic majority since the
war was rolled up. So long as it work
ed inside the democratic party it had
everything its own way in state af-
| fairs, but when it went out it found
it necessary to combine with a party
that opposed everything it wanted and
| enter into a cold blooded trade for Of
flee. The populist party is only six
| years old yet it's factions accuse each
| other of as many sins as have ever
| been laid at the door Of the democratic
| party. Butler says Skinner and his
| crowd sold out to Hanna and elected
| Pritchard. Skinner and his faction
charge Butler with being a boss and
| with having broken faith with the
republicans. If this be populism in it's
infancy, what will it be in it's matur-
ity?-Webster's Reidsville Weekly.