The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-08-09
MALICIOUS NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS..

Under the above caption the Washing
task because of an editorial in the latter
replying to the recent paper OF Governor
Gambler of Georgia on the subject of
lynchings.
The Post characterizes as "inexcusable
ignorance or implacable malice" the mis-
representations OF the Boston paper, and
proceeds:
The Advertiser quotes Governor Gambler as
saying. in substance. that the fault lies as
largely with the North as with the South
ana he seems disposed to place most OF the
burden OF responsibility upon the North be-
years ago. In the days when reconstruction
was a political issue and the carpet Dagger
was Il political force in the South" The
Advertiser further cites Governor Gambler 10
the effect that the carpet bagger taught the
negroes not only that the southern white
men We're their worst enemies. but that free
license. and that American citizenship meant
protection against the results OF crime. also
that southern negroes have been encouraged
by the North to resist the whites. even with
force. and that this line OF policy has called
into existence the very conditions and out
RACES that the people OF the North now criti-
else.
II would be impossible to combat success
fully single allegation in that digest of the
Georgia governors remarks Indeed, the AID
vertiser does not attempt that impossible task,
but neatly lodges 1t with the assertion that
Governor Gamblers case must indeed be
poor when he Is compelled to go back thirty
years to Justify the policy that the South
pursues today. He is sSillfuiiy producing
n piece OF special pleading but he ignores
the Issues as they exist.
Just what the Advertiser means by the
policy that the South pursues today we shall
not try to guess, but no honest and intelli-
gent citizen OF any State could find ground
for a reasonable doubt that IN the fearful
mistake OF enfranchisement and in the hours
OF reconstruction were planted the seeds OF
the crimes which Governor Gambler discussed,
Thirty wears do not make long period IN me
history OF nation. The varying and twist
Ing of negro character during reconstruction
have not been Strengthened out In the de-
cades that have nassed since then; And,
besides, 1t Is only twenty-five years since the
general government withdrew its soldiers
from the South. and permitted the brains:
character, property and social influence OF
that section to assume their rightful place.
Our Washington contemporary then re-
fers to the following paragraph from the
Boston paper, which is characterized as
the most untruthtul and malicious part Of
the whole article;
1.-THE trouble is not that the South refuses
to allow colored children to he educated In
a decent and respectable fashion, and also
denies to the colored man such fair wages
and decent treatment as Industry aud energy
will win anywhere In the North a race
treated so untustly must develop some lgnor-
ant and reckless members. Yet tho South
crn people torture main. burn. and lynch
colored men who are only what the South's
system has mane them
Commenting directly on the foregoing
Illumination, the Washington contempt
rary administers this deserved rebukc:
THE charge as to education is in direct
conflict with the known facts OF the situa-
ton. The white taxpayers of the South
have excited the wonder OF honest critics
by their sacrifices In the work OF negro
education. The charge relating to wages
and treatment Is equally untrue. 1t was
In Northern State that negroes were
murdered for trying to earn their bread
by honest labor. Nowhere In the North,
not even In Boston, are negroes afforded
such opportunities to get forward In the
world as they have In the Southern States.
In asserting that the Southern people
torture. MAIN. burn and lynch colored
men. who are only what the South's sys-
tenn has made them the Advertiser ut
ters a shameful calumny. Very few such
lynchings have occurred. and those were
uuueT W cACltc
the widest passions In the human heart.
And 1t was not the Southern people, or
any class fairly representative OF the
Southern people, who did the torturing.
Not the South's system but slavery. en-
franchisement and reconstruction, for the
frst Of which the North was as much re-
sponsible as the South, and for the other
two more responsible, have created the de-
plorable conditions which all good citi-
zens Of all sections and both races de-
plore. but which can not be improved by
caiumnious and vindictiye misrepresenta-
ton"
-
An ordinance for the protection OF the
Main street pavement ought to be ready as
soon AZ the pavement is hnished Hack stands
should Be on the side or cross-utreets. and
no horses ought 10 be htched or allowed to