The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1899-06-23

of useless and injurious expenses In
order that their chi iren may become
veritable kings and rule the state.
Economy. self-sacrifce, the seeking 10
work out through our children greater
a d better things than we have been
able 10 do will be some of the fine
results which shall come to us from
this provision. Against these things
that awful demagoguery which seeks
10 perpetuate illiteracy IN the state
will beat In vain. / have known few
men. whether they could read and write
or no. who were willing for their chill
dren 30 grow up in ignorance. l have
never known one mother who did not
earnestly desire for her offspring
something better than she had. The
teachers OF the state will surely be
with us on this questionable mothers
and churches are with us. Who can
prevail against us? But say the re-
publican leaders: I'VE are afraid that
the supreme court will declare the de-
scendant clause unconstitutional. n
the other clause constitutional. n
thereby bring upon the state-whtte
men as we'll as negroes-a Suffrage
qualified by the requirement to read
and write" II is pertinent 20 ask OF
what supreme court these leaders are
afraid? Surely not the North Caro-
lima supreme court, a majority OF
whom are republicans, Certainly Sen
ator Pritchard and Governor Russell
and the other republican leaders in n
state who are so afraid that some white
men who habitually vote against them
may be ~disfranchised, do not expect
a republican supreme court to be anx-
ious TO do what these leaders are 80
anxious shall not be done. And unless
the court is anxious TO do SO how will
they be compelled SO TO decide when
almost every constitutional lawyer In
the state worthy Of The name who has
investigated the question. believes the
amendment constitutional. Then II
must be the supreme court OF the Unit
ed States of which these gentlemen are
afraid. But that too is republican and
equally anxious not TO disfranchi Use
anybody unless compelled 10. Three
southern states have adopted o sti-
tutional amendments looking TO the
settlement of the negro question. The
upreme court of the United States
has been appealed to in vain from
South Carolina and Mississippi TO ave
the negro from exclusion from the bal
lot box. These constitutions stand and
the negro does % vote and the whites
do vote. In Louisiana a constitution
similar to ours was adopted in 1897.
and has been in operation ever since.
Under its provisions the whites do
! vote and the negroes do not vote.
| Where is the supreme court OF the
United States and what is it about?
The republicans in Louisiana had
fears identical with those OF Senator
Pritchard and Governor Russell. But
the constitution OF that state still
stands. The truth is that the negro,
has proved such a failure as a voter
that a great change OF opinion has
come about in the United States and
that change has been so marked and
strong that even the courts have been
affected by it. The whole country at
last realizes that the destiny OF this
government, state and national, is to
be wrought out by the white man-it
is his burden-the negro himself liz a
part-a very large part Of that burden
Congress first took the matter in hand
and solved the problem in the District
Of Columbia, by DISTINGUISHING every
citizen, white and black. South Caro-
lima, Mississippi, Louisiana, North
Carolina have all in turn taken up the
question. Congress has come back 20
it in dealing with Hawaii and elimi-
mates the negro without the slightest
hesitation, and without exciting on the
part Of Senator Pritchard any fear
of the wreck OF matter and the crush
Of worlds" In Cuba, Porto Rico. and
the Philippines the negro not only
does not vote but is shot by our gov
eminent for even wanting to vote.
; while Senator Pritchard calmly votes
appropriations to shoot them into che
dience, saving, however, time enough
between appropriations TO weep over
the sad fate OF the brother in black
in North Carolina. II it is manifest
destiny" and the white Mans Bur
den" to civilize and govern the weaker
n more ignorant races in the Philip
pines, it cannot be treason 10 under
take to shape that destiny and bear
that burden here. We began the good
work in 1898. The sacrifices OF that
great campaign were worse than use
less il We lay down the work MIN
ished. We have put our hands TO the
plough and We will not turn backward.
In 1898 we unfurled the democr attic
banner to the breeze emblazoned with
tHr ldIlg IHS CIs VI White SupTFEnd
cy." We volunteered under that ban
ner to the end of the war. We lave
won the outposts OF the enemy. we
have drlve them back in disorder. and
they are making one last desperate
stand, reforming their broken ,ines
behind the breastworks of ~prejvdice
and d~emagoguery. They form in vain
The traditions OF North carolina Cern-
ocrats are filled with glorious achi We
ments; their courage Is OF the hest,
their determination is unyielding. their
certainty Of victory amount to inspira-
ton. For peace, for prosperity, for
universal education. for that day, when
the race issue forever settled, we car
have an absolutely free ballot and a
fair count, for "the glorious privilege
of being independent" for general tol-
Grafton OF honest IL mistaken opinions.
we renew the contest. Let the banner
of 1898 be again unfurled. Let Il gtill