Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1900-10-30
To the coIored Voters Of JEFFERSON
County. Greeting.

County, Greeting.
Win you permit one who desires this
great race question be settled to the bet
terment and upbuilding of both races.
and one who prays that he may be free
from race passion and prejudice for in
stance. who thinks the incident that hap
pened in the county. when several we'll
dressed and well-behayed colored people
were elected from the regular coach to
the " Jim Crow car. was wrong, both in
principle and practice-to address you
on This subject.
Events of the last few months surely
should teach US that race prejudice is not
confined to any particular section of the
country. Probably in our county there
is less i'll feeling between the white and
black races than anywhere else in the
United States. Since the war there has
been no lynching and no occasion for
any. no race quarrel or conflict, scarcely
an individual one. White and black
work together, and transactb business with
good cheer, and in the worship of God
both endeavor to show true Christian
courteseY and sympathy. AS an instance,
when that hybred form of smallpox broke
out in Charles Town-a disease peculiar
to colored people, that is, white people
very rarely, if ever, have it-and when
the colored colored churches were closed
the white churches were also closed, as
an act of courtesy. This race question
will be settled as God in His wisdom
shall decree. through human instrument
talities. In the opinion of the writer it
can be best settled by harmony of the
two races on politics. 1t will be admitted,
presume. that the large majority of the
white vote of the county is of the Demo
cratic party, and that the wealth and in
telligence is of the same party. as rule.
To speak plainly. vote the Democratic
ticket. But some one may answer, that
would be slavery. Not all. Take a
glance at the manufacturing plants and
large trust concerns of the north, where
the white employees are required to vote
the Republican ticket. No, not slavery,
only the weak coming to the strong, an
universal law.
The writer does not believe in race
equality. rather believes that the white
man, the Anglo-Saxon. Scotch-Irish fell
low, will dominate the world, but in
doing so he will draw the other races to-
ward him; and that the coloredrace, with
the aid and encouragement of the native
white man of the South, will reach a
higher sphere of usefulness and citizen
ship, higher sphere of religious, politi-
cal and personal liberty.
Suppose we took a number of the lead
ing honest white men of the county, and
they would make you promise of bus
mess nature, you surely would believe
them. Now if these same gentlemen will
tell you that none of your rights and
privileges should be taken from you by
the party, remembering as we go along
that the county has always been in Dem
ocratic hands, and the state also, except
at present, should you have any reason
to doubt their word. And while on this
subject let us not forget, as to practical
politics, that vastly more colored Demo-
Gratis, in proportion, were given places in
Washington under Mr.. Cleveland than
under this administration. Also let us
not forget that if the white Republican
leaders of the county have passed nights
of sleepless agony over the fact that the
colored brother has not received due rec
ognition, it was not observable in the
proceedings of the late convention. in
making up the empty honors of county
ticket. True, we often see a eolored
mans name as an alternate, but when it
comes to the selection of a delegate or
any other really good thing, a white
brother generally wants it and gets it.
Some one will say the writer's motive
is selfish one. In a a measure, yes; but
he has deeper and truer one, and to the
thoughtful colored man he would say at
least make one trial-it is worth it.