Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-11-19
1rs THINKING CAP on.

Thon The Providence Or. ID JoGrnai
few Republican papers have made more
,,o,uine nrogress towards understanding
,ha situation at the South and treating
southern issues fairly. 1t is true mat
eyery now and then the Journal seems
10 drop back a little in respect Oh TINS
matter. but these lapses generally pear III
formal evidence OF its having msla'd lis
thinking cap for the time being. BE ,hal
ne Il may. however, it is pretty certain
that II has had on its thinking cap since
the recent race troubles in North an"
South Carolina.
In its issue of wednesday in discussing
these troubles, the Journal says that 'he
Republican politicians who are trying 10
induce the President 10 interfere in 'he
race troubles in North and South Caro-
lima are very poor politicians ana Il
their advice is followed the adminis'ra-
ton will have reason TO regret us HIS
take Our Providence contemporary then
scopte the notion that the President
advisers look upon the question from
any other standpoint than partisan
one-that is, that they care an|'hine
for the poor negro" and adds;
interference. with them CRepublican
ncllticians,. means resort TO legal pre-
texts for employing Federal courts, anu,
perhaps. Federal troops, in the St"tes
where race troubles have become acute
with the hope of so overawing the peCpIe
that the white Republican local leaders
and their negro followers can ie00'''
their lost ground
That tells the story as clearly ana as
fully as any southern Democratic paper
couId have told it. At the same time
considering the source, it is scatAins
commentary upon Republican hypocrisy
i'm dealing with the negro.
Pint the Journal does not stop here.
After directing attention to the TACT lha'
"tbe attempt TO coerce the South by force
hills and bayonets has been made again
and again in the last thirty years and tie
result is only q record of failures, ana
nointing out that in the South the race
question will take precedence OF the
tariff the currency, territorial expansion
ar any other national issue, our contem-
porary says:
oIrpon one thing they dhe southern
whites are absolutely determined, having
reached certain unalterable CONVICTIONS
| through a long and painful experience
| and that is not TO allow the controi OF
| local affairs to come into the hands oil
| a fatal combination of ignorant aho
| dishonest blacks and equally OBNOXIOUS
! and dangerous whites.
That is another paragraph that migh'
| have been written in southern Demo
cratic newspaper Office. 1t states the
case exactly, and justifes the attitude
OF the southern whites on the race issue
! Whatever betide, the intelligent whit'
ran is going to control in the South.
The Journals article is not only preg
nant with wholesome advice to the admin
jstration and its party, but whether con
sclously or unconsciousy, exhibit
genuine friendship for the negro. In II
expose of the inspiration of Republican
interest in the negroes it warns the latte
against continuing to be the dupes o
white Republican leaders, and Thereof
inviting the inevitable consequences to III
inferior race of an effort to abrogate' a
the New York Evening Post termed II
the God-given privilege of the white ma
! 10 rule