The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1900-03-04
FAVORS THE AMENDMENTS


acty what the nation is DONG at the
point of the bayonet and that l. peheve
endea voring so TO act as TO secure the
hest possible government for all the
people concerned.
For the reasons above named and otn-
orc I believe if the negro voter as n
power is eliminated from politics until
snch time as he fits himself for suffrage
though il means loss OF numerlcal
strength 10 the Republican party, it also
means that the party will Immediately
begin to draw 70 its support all the pro
teetionists of other parties and thou
sands Of others who favor strong and
broad national policies, foreign and do
nestle, and who have for years been
prevented from voting their real national
sentiments by the ever-present menace
of the negro vote. North Carolina, &
practically undeveloped State, with re-
sources we'll nigh illimitable, with its
mines and forests and fields, is peculiarly
ripe for the adoption of Republicans
principles, those that have made New
England famous for it's wealth and in
telligence The temporary loss and
probable defeat brought upon the party
by the adoption of the amendment will
only be a preparation for complete
victory in the end.
1t IS argued by the opponents of the
amendment, and Senator Butler weakly
lays great stress upon 1t, that the amend
ment if adopted will disfranchise the
polite. faithful old eX-slave, while the
younger. educated. corrupt, town
bred politician Of the race can still eX-
ercise suffrage. Not so in real effect.
1t is his power TO play upon the iG-
norance and credulity Of those men,
hers of his race less fortunate than he
that gives the negro politician his infiu-
ence and purchase price in all the cam
paigns Of the Republican party. Shear
him Of his locks, his corrupt influence
and he becomes 'as other men, and
his vote merely the vote of one individ-
ual He thus loses his power for evil.
1t is no secret that the negro vote is
the curse Of the Republican party in
the South, the open disgrace of all State
conventions Of the party and its pur-
chasable quality source Of shame even
to the great national conventions. Not
alone however, at the negro should the
blame be directed, but also at his white
leader. who in corruptinC him or TAX
ing advantage of his corruption is more
criminal because more int. ligent.
In concluding this part of my paper
let me say last word as to the Situa-
toin in Eastern North Carolina. If the
amendment is defeated by the people
at the polls in August in the future there
will or may he white Republicans in
Western North Carolina and negro Re
publicans alone in Eastern North Caro-
lima. The carpet-bagser, the Ku-Klux,
abuse. persecution. OstraciSln could not
drive the white Republican in Eastern
North Carolina from his party. Many
chose death instead. But what the I<u-
KluX and the carTet-bagger could not
do the logic and force of events is
doing. | viii give one example which !
do not doubt may he paralleled in a
majority of the counties of North Caro-
lima east Of Raleigh In this county Uitt)
in the eighties there were several hun
dred white Republicans. There can
not he twenty-five counted now. No
party can hope to succeed for any length
Of time under these conditions. If the
color line he wiped OUT the white race
will naturally divide as il has every
where except in the South. If il * not
blotted ont T firmly believe before very
many yea1s have passed away the mem
ory Of the Southern white Republican
party will he only dream. hidenus
dream in which black specters hold
ceaseess orgies above the graves of men
once prominent in the councils Of their
States and country.
Up to this point / have not mentioned
the benefits that will come to the negro
from the adoption of the amendment
benefits that all the property owners and
all the better educated of the race must
consider. Every intelligent negro with a
single spark of gratitude in his heart for
all the benefits that have been heaped
upon bis race by the white people, the
taxpayers, for the past thirty years and
this too in the face Of the fact that the
negro in politics has StlIbbornly opposed
all the time the maj oTity of the whites,
must see in the final settlement of the
suffrage question the beginning of an era
Of better relations between the twp races.
In the heart of every Southern white
man there exists the most kindly feel
ing for the negro race. Emerging from
the civil war with his country in ruins,
his property destroyed. his home in
ashes .his family in distress. he at once
begins to share his taxes with the chill
dren of his former slaves and ever since
from his own hard-earned money has
been building asylums for the afflicted of
the negro race and erecting schools for
their children giving them all the adj
vantages of free school education. Have
you ever thought, colored men, that if
all the money which has been applied
from the taxes paid by white men to the
schools of both races had been given 10
the white children alone that the White
schools would now be running eight or
nine months in the year instead OF four
and that there would be but few white
illitera1es in the State, while nearly all
of the negro children would still be in
darkest ignorance? If you have not yoa,
had better do so before yoli allow ambi-
tions and office-hungTy politicians to so
arouse your passions and prejudices that
your eyes will be closed not only 10 the
best interests of your State, but also to
your own.
| write this in friendship for the negro,
for j believe he will prosper more temper
arily diefranchised. Every one who can
not vote under the educational qualifica-
ton will see the great benefit of AN edu-
cation and will be stimulated to increase
his efforts in this direction until he is
OF. mt least hiS children are-4aihla To ia Ike