The Wilmington daily Republican., 1901-04-04
LETTERS FROM THE PEOPLE
One COlored Mans View.
Wilmington, April 3.

i
Editor The Sun:
! Please allow me space in your paper
to speak in reply TO an article | noticed
in your columns of April 1st taken from
! the Daily liepublican of this city, about
| the restless colored voters. The editor
| of the Republican must know that the
| Goth century was ushcrcd in with the
| blast of whistles, the ringing of bells. the
| cnlrancing strains of music, and III fact,
! twas the beginning Of new things, and,
we supposed better days. Having lelt
| the old 1900 plots. plans and arguments
| in the rear, we look forward for some
thing in the order of reform. The
writer says we are clamorng for things
| that the Republicans cannot give. Will
he he kind enough to name one thing
within the keeping of the party, for
which we have asked, that they had not
the power to give?
He also says that we cannot nominate
n man of color: nor can we elect. l
cannot agree with him as to the nOmi-
nation. But as to the election am com
PEELED to admit his point, just as he
would be compelled to admit mine if l
took the same ground of argument,
namely, that there are not enough col
ored Republicans alone to elect candi-
date, nor enough white Republicans to
elect without the aid of the colored vote.
But to me his inference is that white
Republicans will not vote for colOred
candidates. Now if that is the issue,
let him come out and say so. We have
trained with the Republican party, and
we think that our loyalty to the party is
not in question. But is there no limit
to patience? We have been led to the
place tnat we have longed to see. That
we fought to obtain, and helped place the
Republican party in almost absolute con-
troll of both city and State.
Now we are told that we are to be
left out in the cold. and Notwithstanding
the progress we have made along the
lines of civilization and cultivation,
brought about by the facilities and op
portunities of education which have been
furnished us, but not by the Republican
party alone, we recognize that the
prerequisites, which n man who has po-
litical aspirations should possess, are
qualification and fitness. These acquired.
color should not, according to goth CEN
fury arguments stand in the way, and
initiate against their possessor. We
have our professional men. our lawyers.
doctors, teachers, as well as our mcr-
chants, tradcsmen, contractors. &c; yet
must we have no aspiration for any other
things or places to which other men as
prc. and only because we differ in
color? No. Mr.. Editor, we cannot en-
dure such treatment longer. If we are |
to remain in the party ranks you must
of necessity consent to give some suf- |
frage to us regardless of our color. pro-
viding we present men with the aforesaid |
qualification and itness-as prerequisites |
for the place sought. We will not longer |
consent to be the "hewers of wood and |
drawers of water" You can have our |
hearty cooperation in things political on |
terms that will allow us just and equal !
consideration. But don't continue to talk |
about that disfranchisemcnt business as
It's plain that the methods you have sug.
gested for us mot be so restless" are of |
the same order, l. e., we vote for you and |
get no recognition. We don't affiliate
with the Democracy and they have no
use for us. A ColOred Voter.