The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1900-04-13

vote Is Intelligent III mas pehtno II
thousands OF years of political wis
dom. y Is not racial and ciaunish
except as IL is forced to be 50 for self
preservation. On the hand the
negro vote is an inert mass. handle
generally by irresponsible parties and
dangerous in proportion to the lack OF
wisdom among those who essay to
were this day able TO read and write
We should still need 20 meet this
threatening n TO law. order and
prosperity. The negro must not seek
TO control The republican party
must not seek to- control by means OF
him. For either to do SO Is To cali
down the wrath OF civilization upon
not control and rule because he rare
~ holds onice;a let il be answered
that he rules through those whom he
elects as certainly as IL he himself
were elected When his party is elect
ed he regards himslf as in the saddle
and in all the eastern part OF our
state becomes arrogant. vicious. self
assertive IND u~nbearable.
HEART FOR 1T. But STOMACH
AGAINST"
Many republicans will vote for the
amendment for eaSon herein set
forth. Others will not. They are in
favor of the law. but are opposed 20
the bill" II il had been made differ
emit; IL il included all the negroes in
the United States. IL il were this way
or that way, they would vote for IL.
In 1881 Governor Vance humorousfy
indicated the situation of such people
when he told the committee that wait
ed on him in regard TO the prohibi-
ton of the liquor traffic, that his heart
was for il, but his stomach was against
it," so with these republicans their
hearts are for il, but their Stomachs
are against II. Like the dog returns
to his vomit and the SOW to her wallow,
so they lain would keep the stencil OF
negro suffrage in southern politics
because they do not hope for promotion
from white men. The leaders now
full well hat if their party should have
accession OF respectable white men
they would o o be Statesmen with
out their jobs"
LOSS OF POLL TAX BY THE
AMENDMENT.
Both Senator Pritchard and Senator
Butler, as well as Chairman Holtor
seem to think that there would b,
great loss of revenue from the failur,
Of the disfranchised negroes to pay
their poll tax. Let 1t be said that w
lose this poll tax alread". In one o.
the largest counties in The state il
4CVO l0IiS " litSIOtS llG " plN IOl
tax. This was nearly half Of thos'
subject to that tax. In that count!
that year all the poll tax went to tn,
schools. Yet while the negroes i~.,
only 1-1Sth of the tax they got 1-3r,
of the school money; yet half of then
lodged paying their p~ittance. Thes
are the voters who will be retired b,
the amendment. Most of the poll Ia,
d~elinquents in the state are negroes
Under the last election law they cam
up to the polls from the ends of tn
earth and rendered their votes, we
were listed for taxation nowhere. TIL
better class of colored men will con
tinue to pay their poll tax becaus
they have acquired some property an
intelligence, and they will general
vote. AS to the white poll tax, VIII
the white man will vote if he cares {
All those over thirteen now will vot
whether they can read and write o
not, and it will be a great incentiv
to the 13-year old boy to learn to rea
and write if he would vote. Beside.
the democratic party is pledged t
Anglo-Saxon voting and white me
need not fear. Again the democrat
party is pledged to longer schot
terms, and in view of this increase
the school appropriation last yea
500, 900.
HI PITIABLE CODITION OFF TIL
NEGRO-A CATS PAW
I pity the negro from the bottom &.
my heart. He has been made a cat
paw and a tool by those who sougf
their own selfish purposes, and not tt
negroS good. There was never a kline
ller relation than hat which exiSte
: between the old negro and his maSte
1t amounted to affection.
Politics ended it all at one strok
Instead of affection 1t engendere
: hatred. The republican political,
! fearing that the old master wou
: have undue influence made it his blu
mess to foment strife and bring abor
mutual distruSt-especially in polite
> negro goes TO the white dem
craft for aid and advice every day
: the year except election day-on tn
= day you can't get in forty feet of hil
His case is pitiable indeed. II he h;
refused republican advice and divi
ed his vote he would have ceased
e be a menace and would possibly ha
e. avoided the race antipathy. At lea
he would have avoided political AM
: pathy which joined to race antago
I ism is one of the strongest repelle
forces in the world. The negro C.
rule the Anglo-Saxon-all Z
laws and all the bayonets in the wor
{ can't secure for him this power. B
). for the teachings of such men
{ Pritchard and Butler he would ha
o learned this long ago, as he has
other states and would have ceased
n strive to do it.
3 EDUCATION NOT THE REAL RE
SON WHY THINKING MEN
SHOULD SUPPORT THE
y AMENDMENT.
Z l have been asked to give my vie,
. of the constitutional m~aDdnant fr.