The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1899-04-07
The Wlessenyer.
THE STANDARDS REVIEW OF N. ".
INDEPENDENT


Charlotte with interest. 1t is not only
a large, handsome religious weekly, but
it is edited with decided ability and
perception. The editor, Mr.. McKelway,
yields a logical, incisive pen and is
evidently a skillful and vigorous dis
putant. He has lone admirable service
in behalf of education by the state, and
has easily overthrow any that was
r4sh enough to tilt with him in the
arena Of disputation.
We read with much satisfaction his
editorial on Hawaii and the South"
He put the New York Independent in
a very dark hole. 1t continues there.
That sheet was harsh and offensive in
its comments on the revolution in this
little southern city. A correspondent
gave it a challenge as follows:
IF the Wilmington Revolution with
results which we all deplore was not
justifable, will the editor of the indie
pendent recall a revolution that was?"
This afforded the bright alert Stand
ard to say: .
I'VE suppose the Independent could
not think Of a justiiable revolution off
hand. But it might have mentioned
Hawaii, as it approved Of that revolu-
ton when a white minority look the
government from a black majority.
Now will the Independent show the
difference between the two to the dis
advantage of that of Wilmington?
And if, through a bestowal Of the bal
lot upon the native Hawaiians and the
Chinese and the Japanese there, the
notorious Queen Lii and her unspeak-
able associates are eletced to admins
ter the government would the repeti-
ton of the Hawaiian Revolution be
justifiable If so, why? If not, why
not?"
That was a latter-day "sockdolager,"
or one of the late Charles Evans's Go
darters" for which see a number
long ago. The Independent has not yet
recovered it's breath that departed at
that blow above belt. 1t does us good
to see a trained southern journalistic
athlete floor one of those impudent,
solomonic ig~noramuses who know
every thing but the right thing and at
the right time.
The Independent fails to come up to
the scratch when such questions as that
of Mr.. McKelway are thrust upon it.
But we learn that it is bothering it's
empty head over the cruel constitution
al amendment to be voted Upon in
North Carolina. Its feelings are touch
ed, its Indignation aroused, it's tears
flow freely. 1t is really to go into
mourning over a great outrage about to
be visited upon it's dear sable friends.
This highly organized tooter of negro
qphilism says:
1T is nothing less than to take away
the right of suffrage from every negro
possible, and at the same time to take
away the right Of suffrage from not one
white man. Two provisions of eXclu-
sion are first ~propounded, and then one
of inclusion. All are to be excluded
who cannOt read and write, n as if
this were not enough, all who cannot
show a receipt for the poll-tax paid
the previous year. But these prOVl-
.Sions would shut out many thousands
aof white men. There is almost as large
a population of white men in the moun-
tains of North Carolina who cannot
read as there is of negroes in the east
ern part of the state. Accordingly, in
asmuch as no white mountaineer must
be excluded the amendment goes on to
provide that not any who was a voter in
1867 or a lineal descendant of any one
who was a voter in or before 1861,
which is before the negro began to vote
in North Carolina, shall be denied the
vote. He may be unable to read; he
may nave lost his tax, receipt, he may
never have paid his poll-tax, but yet
he may vote because his white grand
father voted in 1867"
1t gets this view, WE suppose, from
certain other sheets that think it mons
in this state. Any kind of test that
might be made to rid the state of negro
rule and to ~perpetuate An~glo-SaXor
civilization would provoke the hostile
criticism of the Independent that was
an old abolition sheet, and is v.41erous
always against the white race in the
south. The statements in that eXtrac
are about the statements that will have
to be met in the campaign not fal
ahead. 1t is dreadful in the eyes of thu
negro organs for white men who can
not read to be treated differently from
the negroes who are illiterates. The
former are mainly intelligent electors
The latter have shown themselves boil
ungrateful to white employers in votins
against them in every election wher
their interests were seriously involved
at have also manifested no capacit!
whatever for the ballot, for civics, an(
no comprehension. of the duties and re
sponsibilities involved in the exercise
of the elective franchise.
Not only is the animus Of the indie
pendent unfriendly to the white peopl,