The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-10-25
THE NEGRO IN POLITICS.

III y f4NT1tO IN A I'LL 10.
The Norfolk Recorder, the negro organ
Of the Tidewater section, expresses sur
prise that The Times should have said IN
a recent article that If The people Of any
given community raise no objection to
negro postmaster outsiders should have
nothing to say. The Recorder thinks
that this is quite modification OF past
declarations Of The Times, and says that
The Times would have made itself a lit
tie better understood II It had said that
IL the negro is appointed TO Office by
Democrat It IS all right. but II such an
appointment be made by Republican Il
is al wrong Ii also calls attention 10
the fact that although a great ado has
been made over the appointment of
negro postmaster az Junta, in Franklin
count Congressman swanson who rep
resents that district in Congress, had
President Cleveland appoint Isaac smith,
n negro. postmaster at Aimagro in Pitt
sylvanla county
There IS nothing new IN the attitude OF
The Times towards this question. We
have no unkn1 feeling toward the black
man. and we are not opposed TO his
holding any Office which he IS capable
OF Cling. provided his incumbency is
entirely satisfactory to his constituency.
As we have before said in this connec-
ton. we believe in local self government.
and If the people Of any community
white or black, desire that black man
shall fill a local Office, certainly The
Times will never lift its voice in pre-
test.
A case in point is cited by the Re
corder. Alm9gro. whose postofiico IS
presided over by a negro, is little VII
lage on the outskirts Of Danville, ana is
populated entirely by negroes Naturally
they asked FOR a negro postmaster, and
it is right and proper that man Of their
color should have been appointed to. fill
the position. We go a step farther and
say that II the inhabitants Of that vii
lage had with enc acc I'd p otested against
the appointment OF white man a their
postoffce, their wishes should have been
respected by the President. Per contra,
we enter our solemn protest when the
President Of the United States appoints
a negro to be postmaster in COM
munity whose patrons are largely white
people and who object to the negro Of
flcial
Such appointments are not only an
offence and an injustice to the whites,
but they do the black man largely more
harm than good. The poorest friend Of
the negro is he who leads the negro into
politics and so brings him in conflict
with the whites. for in all such conflicts
the negro is sure to suffer. Look at the
wrotched state Of things in North Caro-
lima to-day. In many sections the whites
and blacks are armed to the teeth, really
10 shoot each other down upon the
slightest provocation There has al
ready been one serious riot, and II Is
feared that there VII be many more
before the present campaign shall have
ended This state Of things Is net due
to any ~ will per re against the blacks.
II is due entirely TO the fact that some
mean. designing white men have organ
Tea the negroes ana have attempted TO
enforce negro rule in North Carolina.
This has driven the whites together and
they are determined that the fusion
movement shall be downed even at the
point OF the bayonet. 1t has been so
every time any such enort has been
made in any state. and it viii be so 10
the end