New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-04-30
VIEWS OF EX-JUDGE EARL.
HAS NO DOUBT THAT Ex-sENAToh HILL
is STILL THE STATE DEMO
CRATIC LEADER.

Ex-Judge Robert Earl, Of Herkimer, who Is
staying at the Fifth Avenue Hotel. has just re-
turned from a four months so1ourn IN the
South. He will stay in this city for four or nVe
days before going to his home
When Judge Earle was asked by a tribune
reporter what the Democrats Of the upper part
of the State thought of the Mazet investigator
and the political situation in this city, ne saiu
that he had been away from home so long that
he knew little about the feelings OF the Demo-
Gratis of the northern district.
81 will say, however" he said, that don't
think the Mazet investigation has gone far
enough as yet for any one to form an opinion as
to its success or failure or its possible erect on
the political situation Of the future. Any inves-
tigation of this sort Is bound to bring to light
certain phases of corruption, but what the ex-
posures will amount to In the END ana WHAT
their effect will be no one can tell"
In answer to a question to whether ex-
Senator Hill was likely again to be the con-
trolling factor in the Democratic party OF the
state. Mr. Earl said that he did not care TO talk
of Mr.. Hill or Democratic politics. When
pressed for an answer to the question, he said:
Mr. Hill is the leader Of the Democratic party
in this State. There is no doubt of this. he Is
the controlling factor in the party"
Mr.. Earl said that he had spent a good deal OF
time in the South the last three winters and
had talked with many Southern men on the
question of the solution of the negro problem.
Speaking OF this question and the recent lynch
ing in Georgia. he added
This negro problem is a serious one. and so
far have found no one in the South who can
offer any feasible solution Of 1t. / have talked
to hundreds Of Southern men OF the highest
standing and while they condemn such barbar-
practices as that which was Witnessed ia
Georgia the other day they seem ready to ex-
cuse the iynching Of negro men for crimes com
mtted against white women They say thae
their homes must be protected. and that TINS Is
the only means Of protecting them. l peheve
that II Il were possible for the courts or the
South to punish summarily such criminals as
this Georgia negro, such thing as lyhchihg
would be rarely heard OF. But In those Sinai
communities, when the people are aroused IL y
hard for the authorities to convince them that
IL is best to let the law take It's course
"As to the general question or wnat is 10 ne
done with the negro-hoW ne Is 10 De SO I'M
proved that he will no longer commit the crime
for which the white man lynches him-tnat ls
the Southern white mans burden. The Southern
people are bearing the bulk OF the burden OF the
education Of the negroes, and this Is tending 10
improve them in many respects. But from wnat
Southern men tell me, education Will not soVe
the negro problem. Their numbers are increas-
ing rapidly every day. When they acquire edu-
cation they cannot make use Of 1t; not because
the white people will not employ them, but pc
cause the people Of their own race nave Ittle
confidence in them. There are many negro law
yers and negro physicians In the South VINO
are capable men. but the people or their own
race who need a lawyer or physician prefer
white man. My visits 10 the South nave CON
WINGED me that this negro question Is one or the
most serious problems that confront this coun-
try"