The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-06-16
CONVENTIONS.
A LESSON TO POPS.

-Four years ago there were one
thousand negroes holding office in
North Carolina, every one of them
elected or appointed by the joint ac-
ton of the Populist and Republican
parties. When the fact came to be
known by the Populists that men
elected by them had negroized the
chief cities of Eastern North Carolina
and put the negro over the white
man, most of the Populists in 1898
quit the party and voted for White
Supremacy with their lifetime Dem
ocratic associates. Most of that 1000
negroes have been retired either to
the shades of private life or to cells
in the penitentiary, there being few
left now except those kept in Fed
eral positions by Mckinley.
The Black-and leaders, in the
face of their record of voting for ne
groes for office, have the effrontery
now to publicly propose to amend the
Constitution so that no negro can
posed merely as blind, but the Pop
ulist leader of the House, who voted
for "a negro officer of the House in
preference to a one-armed Exon
federate soldier, in speech in the
House on Wednesday, said:
Il am not here to defend the negro
race. [ believe in all candor that they
ought never to have been given the
right to vote. Being ignorant and just
freed from bondage they were unfit
to exercise the right of suffrage.
believe also that the white man has
inherited the qualifications that make
him fit for, and capable of, self-rule
Many of those who shouldered their
muskets and fought in the late wal
for hoI-e and country-many OF the
best people today in North Carolina
can not read and write. They have
ruled and they will rule under al
circumstances, and j hope to see the
day when the Anglo-SaXon race vii
be supreme over all the earth
1t is well known that Mr. johnson
owes his seat in the House to the solid
negro vote, and Isaac Smith, Craven's
negro member, was not too severe
upon him when he said
what is the highest crime in the
catalogue of crimes?" he asked, ant
answered by saying: 1T is ingrati
tude."
"'rhe gentleman from Sampson
holds certificate and warns his seal
now by votes from my race. His par
ty--if he has any party-has in the
Senate today representative that Is
there by negro votes. | refer to Sen
ator Butler, whom we >put there in
connection with your little put.
when you get up here (speakina
to Mr.. Johnson) and talk as you have
today, do you know what you re-
mind me of? Why, of d horse that
YOU get for nothing and then you ride
him and ride him and half feed hin
and finally turn him aloose and say
he's no good anyhow. That's the way
YOU Populists have done my race. We
have elected them to good fat offices
we've made them Governor-the re-
turns in the office of the Secretary OF
State show it, and now you turn ano
tell us we ought never to have been
allowed to vote, anyhow"
This experience ought to teach
Mr.. Johnson a lesson. If he is sin
cere when he says, Il hope to see the
day when the Anglo-SaXon race will
be supreme over all the EARTH he
will quit letting Butler make him
the laughing stock of the State, and
take his stand with white men to
pass the Constitutional Amendment
In the House in 1899 he voted to sub
nit the amendment to the people, and
all friends of White Supremacy hoped
he would be consistent and support
it at the polls. His vote then was
approved by his Populist neighbors
many of whom said they favored tht
amendment But, after Butler made
a bargain with Pritchard to deliver
the Populist vote against the amend
ment. he gave orders to repudiate
Mr.. johnson and Mr.. Crumpler (the
two Populist representatives from
SAMPSON and they were denied a re
nomination at the dictation OF the
Republican office-holders who dictate
the policy Of the Populist party. Ane
yet Mr.. Johnson permits himself Z
be used for the undoing of his race
the injury Of his party, and his OWL