The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-11-17
THE NEGRO AS A CITIZEN.
nK. LEE, OF JOHNS HOPKINS, An
ALYzEs HIS FAILURES.

Nyav-A Decline in Morality Since
tne civil War Is Held to BE a Great
DravvbncIS to Both Political ANA
social PrOgress-"Inherent Idle
ness as Another Factor.
From the Baltimore Sun.
wilmington, N. c., Nov. Bone of the
first things to be considered in connection
rrirb the recent outbreak in Wilmington
:. what led to the outbreak The true his
,ory of this has never been given, as up
20 tajs time the leaders could. not disclose
,bejr plans without danger to themselves
and 10 their cause.
Now that the end has been reached the
men at the head of affair choose the
snn as the medium of placing themselves
h4fore the world. This has been the de-
,if.rYte conclusion of all those interested.
The negro leaders have also given their
testimony, with the result that for the
first time the inner history of the out
break is written.
Two years ago the election of Russell as
Governor marked the beginning of the last
stage in the movement for white suprem-
o,y IN North Carolina. The first stages
are matters of history 1t is a well known
facr that emancipation gave to the negro
oo3ortunities which he was unable to use,
This is not denied by any party or sect.
The first effect of the new liberty was
dsaslrous. The negroes abused the privi-
ls.es they had received-from ignorance
Of those privileges or from the propensity
10 over-indulgence that is the common
fault of those to whom great riches sud
denly come.
This spirit of overindulgence led to in
toxicatton. Intoxicated with their newly
granted Importance, they were carried
away by the puFsuasion of the harpies
that rushed from the North TO gorge them
selves on what was supposed TO be feast.
Thus misled and betrayed, the negro was
led into outrage and crime, but more par
ticuariy into such use Of his strength as
Practically 10 thrust the white man from
any voice in the government of which he
was the sole support.
Such a state of affairs considered from
any standpoint, was .ntolerable, and in
time the white man asserted himself and
reganed control of the state. Aided by the
new governmental organization he in great
4 part rid himself of the "carpet-bagger"
great part, but not completely, for the
operation of the federal laws foisted on
. ana mas tlidliLdAiiNu al TIC oOutA a must VI
5 men that are not In sympathy with the
y South.
The methods by which white supremacy
was secured were coercion, intimidation
4 and fraud. This is the plain truth and
cannot be denied. Such methods were not
peculiar to the South, but have flourished
at times in every section of the United
States.
But this prevalence did not obviate the
Df hn etc nd of
political morals. 1t led the negro to dis
trust the Democratic party. 1t taught him
that the election laws did not protect the
negro in the exercise of his franchise
The negro did not have the ability or COM
prehension to grasp the reasons for his
practical disenfranchisement.
The effect Of illegal election practices
upon the white man was demoralizing
and led TO grave abuses 1t weakened his
moral fiber and perpetuated the evil prac-
tice through this weakness. This is the
fact and is admitted. The Southerner is
not blind to it, and came 10 a realization
of it earlier than other sections of coun-
try
By reason of these realizations a change
came over political methods in the Sos
The negro received a greater and greater
degree of practical political freedom.
Fraud gave place to fairness, with the re-
had gained great available strength and
coored men appeared not only in the leg
1SiatVe halls of the state, but of the ma
ton The white Republicans obtained con-
troi Of the higher offices. and finally, in
1887, the Governor of North Carolina, one
q United States senator and several United
States representatives were Republicans,
and the same party controlled the state
legislature
tro1 of he h mi
the recognition of the negro. in fact as
well as in theory. Large numbers of the
white oficeholders, federal state, county
and municipal, were turned out of office
TO give place to negroes, most of whom
We're of an utterly worthless character.
10 this direct control must be added the
indirect control exerted by negro women
8 over white Republicans, for it is an open
and notorious fact that such connections
existed. No more recent case of such in
nuence can be given than one of the late
Republican officials of this city
Inc enjoyment of Office gave to the ne
gro craving for more and with blind
selhshness, he disregarded the fact that
lhe whites pay over 80 per cent. of the
taxes of the state, conduct all important
business enterprises, are the land owners,
anu in fact, furnish all the brains and
q prosperity of the country. All the negro
own had little or no weight.
Al hrst the negro had been satisfied with
subordinate positions with offices in
winch the service was manual, but he out
q grew this class of work, and, encouraged
Wy lhe action of the federal authorities
Ill putting negroes in the leading positions,
4 sueh as collector of the port and other
s. revenue offices, the rank and file of the
i9Ce demanded higher class of places
a Hilherio reserved for the whites.
DuIing tl'S period of thirty years that
mas Just passed there has been a gradual
cHange In the non-political side of the
FL NsIos character The gift Of freedom
coming on the heels of a devastating war
,IIeN hordes of uncontrolled negroes upon
me community. These would not, in many
Instances, work. and it was no easy mat
II ~ Ior those who desired work to find inn
II H'llate lucrative employment, for the
ioImer employers of labor had in many
II ases been ruined by the war. Many
.'T plantation lay desolate, for the mas
-. aad won deathless glory and a soldiers