The Topeka state journal., 1899-05-29
SHUN BLOODSHED
Negroes Will Not Heed Mr.. In
gals, Says Mr.. Olden.
Hope of the Black Man Is Po-
litieal Independence.
MISTAKE is MADE
Vote With Party Which South
ern People Hate.
Negro Throwing OFF Yoke and
Voting as He Pleases.

One Of the most effective replies to
the blood and thunder advice to the
negroes of the south given by ex-Sen-
ator John J. ingalls, was the lecture de-
Hvered Sunday evening by Rev G. D.
OIden. the colored minister of the First
African Baptist church. Mr.. Olden
said:
I come to you tonight with the state
ment of ex-senator John J. ingalls,, who
for years represented this state in the
United States senate as a Republican;
a statement which. if carried out, would
be destructive to the negro. not only OF
the south, but TO the entire negro race
of this country Mr. ingalls, says that
1T is ideas that make a nation" but
if Mr.. Inglaus' ideas are fndorsed by
the negroes touching sword and torch
as a means OF deIiverance from their
oppressed condition. his advice will only
result in the unmahng and Destroy
ing of every effort that for 35 years the
negro has been struggling to accomp-
lish-
Mr.. ingalls, has overlooked, or been
blind to the fact that the negro race,
in all of its oppression, has been always
found inofensive and never known to
resort TO any measure which might re-
suit in the destruction of life and prop
erty as means of redreSSing the
wrongs inflicted upon him by the donni-
nant race
Mr.. ingalls, appears to be ignorant of
the fact that in all the strikes of
this country which have resulted in the
loss of life and destruction of millions
OF dollars worth OF property, the negro
has never been the inauguratOr of a
single one.
That in the wars between 'caDital
and labor the negro has always been
the convenient tool in the hands OF the
capitalists as temporary supply, 10 fill
the places OF the white men who inau-
gurated the strike; and whenever he
resOrted TO means to protect his life,
he has always been advised to do SO,
as means of protecting the white
mans property.
Why Mr. ingalls, advised the negroes
to resort to the sword and torch IN
my opinion, is because he either desired
the determination OF the race, which
would surely follow if his advice was
carried out. or to see that every Op-
portunity which tended to advance the
interest of the negro socially and polit-
ically was forever buried so deep that
the blast OF 4 political trunpeter could
never resurrect him MI ingalls, says
that the negro wears heavier chains in
tude-" No man living today, who knows
anything about the negrO's condition in
slavery, would FOR a moment, unless
blinded by prejudice or ignorant of the
facts set forth in history. consider such
a statement, which is devoid Of all COM
mon sense.
A freedman without a foot of land or
a cabin under which TO shelter his head.
is better off than the slave whose mas
ter sheltered clothed and fed him. and
is driven from sunrise to sunset as his
masters beast OF burden The privi-
lege to own ones self soul and body,
and to worship God without mOlesta-
ton, are the highest privileges man can
possess Does Mr. ingalls, claim that
the negro possessed this privilege in the
ante beIIum days2 Is he ignorant of
the fact that the negro had TO steal
away in order 10 worship the Almighty
God. in the dark hours Of the night.
while his master and Overseer were
asleep 1t was under these circun-
stances that the plantation melody.
steal Away to Jesus" which has
touched the hearts Of thousands. was
born in the heart of the oppressed slave.
Freedom with citizenship denied is bet
ter than slavery, in which the master
voted his slaves without their consent
Mr.. ingalls, said: That the enfrau-
chisement Of the negro was a political
crime. and that the race problem is a
menace to civilization Who is responsi-
bic for the enfranchisement of the negro
being menace to ciyIIIzatiOn2
answer. the same race who IS re-
sponsibIe before God. for his present
condition in this country If the negrO's
presence in this country Is a curse in
stead of q blessing It is certain that
he can not be held responsible for his
presence here If his enfranch chisenent
was a political bIunder. those who made
the political blunder. in order to feather
their own political nest. should be will
ing TO accept the situation, and forever
keep their mouths shut, and cease to
play the political acrobat
The negro is not asleep to the fact
that he has been tool in the hands
Of political manipulatOTS, who have used
him with impunity not caring what the
results might be, their only and highest
aim being to carry out their selfish
aspirations The negro realizing this
fact, he is gradually throwing of party
yOkes. and asserting his own political
manhood, hence those who used him to