The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-11-21
AS VIEWED BY A COLORED MAN.
PROF. MILLER TALKS ABOUT THE
RACE TROUBLE AT PHENIX.

Al hnNl4s
He Does Not Fear a Race War in the
south, and Attributes the Recent
Troubles to the High-Tempered
Natures of the whites and Blacks
in South CarOIina-UnpOpuIar OF
the TOIbert Family Caused the
Trouble Election Day,
Washington, Nov. 2O-An interesting
version of the race troubles in South Car
olina was given by Prof. Thomas Miller,
president of South Cardinals colored ag-
rictural college, while at the White House
recently, to call upon the President Prof
Miller claims to be a colored man, al
though there is probably a preponderance
of white mans blood In his veins. He oc-
cupies unique position in South Carolina
by affiliating with the Tiilman faction in
the Democratic party. For many years he
was one of the most conspicuous and au-
dacious leaders of the Republican party
in the Palmetto State. He is intelligent,
brave, adroit and full of political re-
sources. He exercised a wonderful in1u-
ence over the colored people, and was.
20 a certain extent, regarded as a danger
Gus element both in national and state pol
tiles. He ran for Congress several times,
and when the Republicans were in control
of the House, he was seated in the closing
hours of the session.
During the last few years he withdrew
from active politics in the state, reserving
the right to vote the Republican ticket at
national elections. He was shrewd enough
to realize that he was simply throwing
away his time and energy by keeping up
the Republican fight in state politics, SO
he threw his influence to the THlman fac
ton in state politics, and was rewarded
by being made president of the Colored
Agricultural College at Orangeburg, S. C.
He is entirely free from politics now, and
is here attending the annaul convention of
the presidents of agricultural colleges and
experimental stations He read an inter-
esting paper to the convention to-day on
the subject of the undeveloped resources
of South Carolina, dwelling upon the great
progress made in growing tea in that state.
Prof. Miller went to the White House to
pay his respects to the President, and
while there he talked quite freely concern
ing the recent race troubles in his. native
state He says he does not fear race
war in the South. The recent troubles at
Phenix and other parts of the state are
due to the restless and high tempered ma
ture of the whites and blacks in the Pal
metto State The streak of Huguenot,
which, he says, runs through so many
South Carolinians, becomes tempestuous
upon slight provocation, especially upon
election day, under the influence of the
dispensary system and other methods cal
culated to excite political enthusiasm.
Prof Miller says he has no trouble in
voting the Republican ticket on election
day, but he knows that although his party
may out vote the Democrats, the Repub-
lican candidates are counted out under the
election laws of the state which result in
the practical disfranchisement of the
colored voters. The colored peop,e of the
state, as a rule, bow to the inevitable and
allow themselves to be disfranchised,
without a murmur Sometimes they are
melted to resent the existing conditions of
things by designing white men, who are
seeking political office. Ever since the
Tfllman party gained control of the state,
the Republicans have been disfranchised,
practically, and on election day
they have proceeded 10 go
through the form of deposlting their
ballots in a separate ballot box on cleo
ton day, something's as far as two or
three miles from the officially designated
polling place. 1t is nothing more than
harmless pastime as the ballots deposited
in those boxes are never counted, hence
it was nothing but the unpopularity Of
the Tolbert family, tinctured with some
undue political excitement, which induced
the kicking over of the Republican ballot
box at Phenix on election day.
There Is no danger Of a war of the
races in the South. In the first place,
even if the blacks were disposed to be
warlike, they could not obtain the arms
and ammunition. There is a state law
which prohibits the selling of guns or
ammunition to colored men. In some in
stances celored men are1unabe to obtain
powder and shot to gun for possum, rab-
bits. and small game. The colored peo-
pie. who stop to think what a war of the
races means, understand that the Govern
ors of Southern states control the state
militia, armed and equipped with the lat
est improvements IN implements of war,
and therefore, the colored people are prac-
tically powerless to- revolt against such
Overwhelming odds. 1t Is a peculiar con-
dition of affairs, but a majority Of the
colored men in South Carolina Georgia,
and other Southern states, have been
taught by sad experience that i'm the
event Of a war Of the white and the col
ored races white Democrats and Republ-
cans always combine to put down the
colored man.
Under the circumstances, Prof. Miller
says the colored man has to submit to
superior power.
FORUM CLUBS ADDRESS.