The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser. (Upper Marlborough, Md.) 1882-1925, 1899-04-14

| who Is working Tor the regeneration and
uplifting of his race, recognizes and de-
precates the disposition of the negro in
the Sonth to antagoni2e the white man
and his politics. Enconsciously," SAYS
| Mr. aShingfon, we seem IL have got
the idea into orr blood and bones that we
are only acting in manly way when we
| oppose Southern white men with our votes
In some way, by some method, We must
bring he race to the point where ii will
cease to feel that the only way for it to
succeed is to oppose everything suggested
or put forth by the Southern white man."
| Mr.. Washing ton describes condition
which has existed in the South ever since
the close of the civil war and the period
of reconstruction. That the negroes were
| always to blame cannot be conceded.
| They were illiterate when they were given
the franchise and were children, so far as
their knowledge of government of any
kind, local, State or national, is concern
ed Even then, however if they had been
| brought under better influences the result
might have been different. But the ne
| grocs were invested with the right to vote
in order that they might strengthen the
| republican party and enable it to continue
| its hold upon both houses of Congress.
| They were welded into a compact body
| by the sinister teachings of white men, in
most cases unprincipled Northern adven-
turers who made them believe that the
Southern white man was their sworn en-
| envy ana would do them all manner of
| harm if he was in power in the South. By
| PLAYING upon the fears of the negroes and
| also by promises of forty acres and 4
mule" the blacks were Soliditicd against
| the Southern whites, and opposed them
politically at every point and upon every
issue-and this opposition has continued
| to the present time.
1t is no wonder that Mr. Washington
deplores this condition of affairs. He
| lives in the South and writes of fact
within his personal observation. He
knows that it has been impossible to di-
vide the negro vote, and that it is cast
practically as unit against the policies
of the Southern white men. There is no
movement, however good in itself, the
success of which may be essential to the
welfare of State, a city or country
which can secure the support of negro
voters if their white leaders urge them
to anita goniZe it-frst, because it is not a
republican measure, and, second, because
| -. al, N, Il. IS . I,
community. Mr.. Washington says the
negro has the idea that he lis acting in
manly way" when he opposes Southern
white men with his vote. Whatever his
motive may be, the fact remains that it has
| retarded the growth of communities, as
well as debauched politics to an alarming
| degree. The negro is bourbon, as Mr..
Washington points out, and his bour-
bonism is doing more to obstruct his own
progress than any other obstacle with
which he has to contend.
| Wherever the Grace issue" has been in
iected into politics, the negro has been
largely responsible for it. The Opposi.
ton to him as a controlling force in State
and city government is based upon his ig-
norance, his temperament, his lack of
training, and the sad experiences of the
past, which have demonstrated that, with
his unfitness for administration, he is as
corrupt as the most venal whites. 1t is
not because he is black that the whites re-
sent his assertion of his rights under the
constitution, but because his comprehen-
sion is so limited that he is an easy tool in
the hands of spoilsmen, and votes absolute
ly according to his prejudices and with
out regard to any consideration except
the fact that the majority of the white
people vote the other way. Under such
conditions the negro is menace to good
government. Booker Washington recog-
nizes that perpetual and unreasoning
opposition means disaster to the race, and
he urges the colored men to at least di
vide their votes if they will not wholly
abandon their present antagonism to the
policies of the white men in the South
The opposition to the negro as deter
mining factor in politics docs not arise
primarily, from any racial antipathy. Mr..
| Washington, writing to a colored man in
North Carolina, declares that in his belief
there are thousands of white democrats
in North Carolina who are so per cent
better friends to the negro than Cover
nor Russell" who is republican and who
was elected principally by negro voters.
Among the white democrats of North
Carolina are many men who are ever
ready to do an act of kindness or charity
for the negro, nor have they ever adopted
measure, either directly or indirectly, to
prevent him from living wherever he
chooses. That has been reserved for the
Northern residents of Southern Pines
where, according to the Sprin gfield Mass
Republican, there is an "unwritten law"
which would prevent the negro from
acquiring property of residence there
Such a condition also exists in colony
of Union veterans in Georgia, where the
negro is hot tolerated as resident This
objection to the presence of the negro on
the part of Northern people in Georgia
and North Carolina savors more of race
| prejudice than anything which has re-
Gently occurred to disturb the relations
of the Southern white people and the
blacks
If the negroes of the South do not heed
Mr.. Washington's advice they will never
secure the confidence or respect of the
whites 1t is impossible that the latter
should view with equanimity every policy
which they advocate opposed by the great
body of the negroes, not because it lacks
merit but principally because the colored
voters are III ged to antagonize it by de-
signing white leaders When, in addition
to this, they assert right to offices which
they are not capable of filling and, because
of their formidable voting strength have
little respect for the law, expecting i'm
.munity through political influences, they