The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1899-09-03
BILL ARP'S TOPICS
Bill Thinks Dreyfus is limo
cent and Being Prosecuted.
TALKS ABOUT THE WAR
The Negro Problem is Discussed. Some
Districts Where There is no
Trouble.

Trouble.
| lit is indeed singular how much sym
| pathy and what an intense interest the
| trial of Dreyfus has excited all over
| the civilized world The life or the lib
erty of but ONE mana Jew OF no great
Consequences at stake, and yet the
world looks on with more concern than
| is given the Philippine war, where thou
sands have died in battle since the trial
| of Dreyfus began. The great heart of
the people blieves the Jew is innocent
| and is being prosecuted by the military
| because he is a Jew. Civilians every
| where are getting more and more jeal-
! Gus of the military power, and well they
may be, for it is aggressive, cruel and
| intolerant when not kept under re-
straint.
The long suffering of Dreyfus has in
| tensified the pity of mankind and re-
| calls the plea that Shakespeare makes
| for Shylock, Il am a jew; hath not a
| Jew eyes and hands, senses, affections,
passions. If you prick us do we not
| bleed. If you poison us do we not die?"
This persecution has been going on for
| five years and the end is not yet in
sight. 1t reminds us of the historic
trial of Warren Hastings that began in
April. 1890, and continued until April
'95. Never was a man so unJustly assail-
ed The subimest oratory and logic of
Burke and Fox and Sheridan came
down upon him with whitening and pitt
less force. Burke spoke three days and
amazed the world with his matchleSs
eloquence, and the world pronounced
Hastings guilty before any evidence had
been introduced, for Burke-s speech was
an exordium, presentation of the bill
of Indictment. Poor Hastings, frail.
small and sickly, knelt at the bar and
there heard the terrible denunciations or
his accusers. The English nation was
against him and even his friend and pat
ron, William Pitt, deserted him, Hast
ings, as governor general of India, had
not pleased the party in power and was
to be made a victim. That was poll
tics then, and it is politics now. 1t was
like the execution of Mrs. Surratt and
Captain Wurz in 1860, for two more in
nocent persons could not have been
found, but the thirsty public demanded
some victims and these were chosen. In
1895 Hastings was triumphantly acquit-
ted on every charge and public opinion
had already turned in his favor. Lord
Macauley says that he administered the
Indian government with more than the
capacity of Richelieu, and John Stuart
Mill says he was the best governor that
India ever had.
Well now, if Dreyfus can have such
happy ending to his long suffering and
trial the world will be satisfied. Labori
is already hero-the brightest star in
the galaxy. He has made no blunder in
act or speech during his long and ardu-
Gus labors and when he declares with
folded arms and glistening eyes and inn
passioned voice that Dreyfus is innocent
the world believes him. liz he is again
condemned, France will be disgraced
and degraded in the eyes of the great
powers of the world. A government that
cannot save one innocent man cannot
save itself when revolution comes.
The next biggest thing before us is
the everlasting war that, like Banquo's
ghost, will not down. 1t drags its slow
length along from day to day and week
to week until its blood and cost have
almost ceased to agitate us and only its
politics is considered The question up
permost is will it roll Mckinley in
again or roll him out. Imperialism is a
bigger presidential issue than silver or
the tariff.
But just now the question that seems
to concern the South is what shall be
done with the negro. In some portions
of the country there is no disturbance,
no friction, no outrages of any kind. The
two races are getting along as peace
ably in the years gone by. There
are whole counties down in lower Geor
gia and whole districts in some of the
Western States where the negroes as
mass are industrious and humble and
give no trouble. In upper South Caro-
lima there is peace and harmony save
an occasional disturbance that bad men
like the Tolberts provoke. Most of
the outrages that provoke the lynchIngs
come from negro tfamps who have no
settled home, no family, nor occupation,
but go and come when they please.
They are the scum of the towns and
cities-the overfiow-for cities breed
crime and corruption both among whites
and blacks. The last report of our prison
commission shows that seven counties
with our seven largest cities furnish one
third of all our convicts. Fulton coun-
ty alone has 2S1. The more remote
from these pestilential centers of crime
the fewer convicts. Pickens, Towns
and Gilmer have none. Twelve coun-
ties have but twenty-four. 1t is re-
markable that some counties in the
black belt where negroes predominate
show so good a record. Quitman has
but two conyicts, and perfect peace and
good will prevails between the races,
and the negroes down there took as
much pride in the display and success
of the late agricultural convention as
did the whites. Now the question is if
such harmony exists in Quitman why
cannot it exist elsewhere? Is it a set
tied fact that the two races cannot live
together? For one / am not yet pre-
pared to admit it. There are thousands
of negroes all over the South who are
docile, law-abiding, respectful and indus