The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1900-08-10
The Wessenger.
A MILD NEW ENGLAND VIEW.

We read a long article on the North
Carolina political condition tnat ap-
peared in the Springfield
an unusually fair and honest newspa-
per of its party. It gave a review Of
the situation in this state lot years
1t gave in the main a correct account
but from the standing point or a paru-
san who wanted IA negroes 10 con-
tinuea as electors in the southern states.
1t thinks the putting of 1000 blacks In
nffce in North Carolina is all right.
But it reluctantly admitted, We may
believe, that many OF these negro pol
iticians in office showed ineffciency,
and corruption" Yea,
verify, Some four of McKinley's negro
postmasters in negro George Whites
sdeestrict," turned out to be official
rogueS.
The Republican is informed as to
some important occurrences For in
stance it gives this glimpse of one part
Of the ~unbearable things done:
I'm 1896 the fusion was continued,
and both the state and legislative tick
cts were carried, throwing the entlre
political machinery Of the state into
the republican and popullst hanos.
The advent of a republican adm1nlstra-
ton at Washington completed the po-
Iitical ov~erturn, and negro office mold
ers appeared in a prOfusiOn
before in North Carolina for a quarter
of a century. The fusiOnist legislature
promptly repealed the laws which mad
enabled white minorities to rule the ne
- ~ Ilnaly- yHrnpa Cnnn
in full control of all local affairs in the
eastern part of the state. There were
negro aldermen, policemen, constables,
deputy sheriffs and school commission
ers in the s~eacOast cities.
If Massachusetts were to be subject
ed every way TO the precise conditions
that North Carolina was subjected to
in a months time there would be a
revolution raging around the Bay
State, and the Springfield paper would
be in the lead for it. How long would
Springfield stand it if the people were
robbed of the right Of electing their
own city officials, and a foreign ele-
ment, or a negro element. that paid
but 3 3-Jths of the taxes should have
control and levy taxes, etc, upon the
whites who paid 90 2-3rds?
The Republican doe not allude re-
moteIy to scores of attempts at violence
in consequence of bloody threats by
Butler and other scape-graces, nor OF
any of the notorious crimes perpetual
ed or attempted during the campaign,
on the part of the fusion gang, but it
notes this, and that is just like all the
northern papers when they deal with
the cause of southern whites:
1.-THE present campaign has been
fought by the democracy with intense
energy, as could easily be inferred from
the appearance of 'red-shirt badges In
the negro communities. RepuDllcan
and populist stump speakers including
United States Senator Butler, I'VE
been subject to intimidation and fey
signs have been wanting that the cleo
ton would be carried, by clubs and re-
peating rifles. if necessary"
That is a partial, one-sided Statement
that makes a false impression. The
Red Shirts" were really peace-maker:
and prevented riot. The outrage:
came, with one or two exceptions from
the black and tan gang. If the Repub
Iican had sent an intelligent. fair-mind
ed correspondent into North Carolin;
and kept him here for three months h
would have been compelled to repor
such a state of things as would haV'
opened the eyes of Yankeedoodledom
The fun of the thing is that the gray
and knowing Republican attributes tn
movement for a white government TO
white folks to the growth of imperial
ism" in the south. That is all poppy
cock. There are tens of thousands o
white men brave and eager for whit
supremacy that never gave a minute'
thought to imperialism and have NJ
opinion about it. 1t is a race move
ment made necessary by the very seri
Gus, threatening conditions in tn,
south. Rapes, murders, arsonS by tn
negroes. multiplied and increasing, anC
the rule of the negro in politics hav'
combined to drive the whites into or
g%anization for the maintenance of law
the preservation OF civil rights, h per
petuity of Anglo-SaXon civilization
and general good and honest and econ,
omic government. Tt is a great move
ment of a free people. brave and re
solved.
North Carolina sent 10. oG0 men int
the war which was nearly its highest
white vote before hostilities began. II
buried 41,00O of these as the War Re-
cords" of the United States govern
ment show. II lost fully $40.O O0. 900 by
reason of negro supremacy. 1t has tx.
pended probably from $4,000. 600 to SO.
OOO, 600 of the white peoples taxes il
the education of the negro children
So the descendants of the heroes anG
others have resolved upon white con
troll h nc6forth.
SOUTHERN PROGRESS.