Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1898-10-29

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That the black man ha. made pro-
gress ia some directions since be was
freed there eau be no douot, b 1t in q
political way he stands to-day Just
where he stnod Immediately after the
war He still belongs TO the Republi-
can party. He has no pSliticsi indie
pAnds NEE he lrns his bsek upon his
best friends at the South TO follow the
may offer"
1t is we'll nigh useless to point out
the way to blind man, or to attempt
to argue with prejudiced contemp-
orary, who has an axe TO grind"
Nevertheless, the people, the listen
era to both sides OF the contention will
be able to judge between the two. It
= is we'll known fact that the colored
vote is divided. that some of our mis-
guided fellow colored folks do vote the
Democratic ticket. It is also fact
the Democratic machine declares that
no Negro shall belong to the Demo-
cratic Party, and excludes any and all
of them from any participation what
ever in its primaries
If we are not wanted on one side,
what is left to US, but to go to the
other
The TIMEs says:
Ever since the ballot was placed in
the hands of the Negroes they have
been voting soIidly together against
the white masses, and they them selves
have drawn the color line in politics.
OF which they so bitterly complain"
Far from drawing the color-liue, for
more than thirty years, we have been
voting for white men, and eievating
them to Office Whether they were
Republicans or Democrats "cut no.
figure :" they were white mAn. Does
this look like drawing the color line?
SIT is strange ind eed that the Negro
does not see that what be wants to do
most OF all at this tIme is to advance
his material interests, to improve his
mind and morals, to accumulate prop
erty, aud this way to command the re-
spect and recognition OF those 10 au-
thority."
The Negro does see it. II he do not,
how is it that he has bought property,
organized business associations, estab.
lished banks, built churches, erected
schools, educated his children, publish
ed books. and Accumulated money?
The report OF the auditor of Virginia
shows that he owns over six hundred
thousand dollars worth OF property in
this city and over twelve million dol
lars worth in the state, while it is
approximately estimated that he owns
three hundred million dollars worth in
this country.
This shows that he has not given his
time exclusively to politics.
When you say he should improve his
morals. whatdo you meant II you re-
fer to his honesty, he is far more relia-
bic than thousands of white men who
have stolen business, while he has
stolen chicken, or bank while he
has stolen ham, or . railroad, while
he has defrsuded person out of 3
piece of real estate.
Do you refer to the morals OF our
women ? II SO, we would advise you
that we have hundreds of thousands of
IS good and as pure women as the sun
ever shone upon, while you have thous-
ands as corrupt men "a have been found
in any country.
They insist upon being criminally in
innate with the degraded of our race.
and while putting away tn. colored
men. fer hours at night enjoy the vo-
luptuous embraces Of the colored wom-
en-, whom we have cast aside.
When the superior" and the ''infe-
rior" classes of any race come together
in wrong doing, the superior" is the
most to blame.
II you will engage in q crusade along
this line among our people, we will
meet you half way.
Again. if YOU will publish the names
Of all the men who know" colored
women, we will agree to publish the
names of all Of the colored women who
know" white men.
This is the proper way. sir, to adjust
this matter If you are sincere in your
crusade.
We would to God we knew how to
keep the race separate and distinct.
will not do it. We confess
that no legitimate and practical effort
is being made in this direction, al
though much random talk is INDUCED
in, sometimes by the very people who
are guilty of offenses herein described.
The TIMES says:
"The worst that ever happened to the
great mass OF Negroes was the confer
ring upon them the right of suffrage.
II the ballot had not been given to
bhem indiscriminately they weuId not
have become the rock of offense in poll
tics, they wodld have paid more stten- |
ton TO industrial pursuits, they would |
have had little or no trouble with the |
white man, and their condition to-day |