The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1901-10-29
REPUBLICAN, PARTY AND SOCIAL
EQUALITY.

What will the republican party do In
regard to DISTINGUISHING IMterate ne
groes. 1t will take vengeance upon the
southern whites so far as ii can. 1t
may start another force bill and reduce
the representation Of the south in the
federal house. But these viii not be
the end. 1t is plain. from the echoes
from religious bodies, educational in
situations and newspapers in the north
that the negro IS a fetch up there. that
social equality is their arm, if not for
tEo-.es surely for the south. The
negro question enters into the plans,
poitics and legislation in the
south. There is no denying. 1t is now
the imminent question, the disturbing
question in the great state OF Virginia.
There is TO evading the question, for it
IS paramount, inveterate. and here to
Stay. The social equality question is
made prominent, aggressive. offensive
TO the south. Booker Washington said
once that the negro does not desire
social equality and should not nave it."
Since becoming the companion and So
CiaI equal OF President Roosevelt and
The president of Yale university and Of
Bishop Potter, it is not known what
mis- present views are.
There is some perplexity just now
among the republican wire pullers.
While there is a rush to uphold Roose-
welt in his foolish course. the manipu-
lators. cunning of fence, and resourceful
in ways that are dark" do not as yet
see their way clearly. a writer in the
Baltimore Sun a y that the republic
can agent of the campaign committee
il Maryland is in u qUandary. He
writes:
He cannot deny the promises of So
ciai equality which his party has made
to the negro; he cannot deny the first
great step in that direction taken by
President Roosevelt. He turns to the
political question involved and prates
of the negro's right to vote and talks
of the privileges guaranteed by the
constitution. This. talk falls fiat. for
does not the country at large know
tina he honest, thinking men among
the negroes oppose general suffrage to
their racer"
He says that Booker Washington him.
self has said this:
Liz HcSLO dSLCCS VII yOu lioI ~
is necessary to the salvation of the
sC-tn that restriction be put upon the
b. lot" and so we'll does he appreciate
the situation in the south that he fur
Their said: The time is not far distant
when the world will begin to appreci-
ate the burden which was imposed
upon the south when four millions OF
ex-slaves, ignorant and impoverished,
were given the franchise"
In the face of thisstatement what
can be said in support OF the position
of the republican party? Nothing. The
waVering voter can be held in line only
by an appeal to party fealty: Vote
for the republican party n drop the
discussion of the negro! he is not an
issue in the present But
that's the rub: he is an issue, and
everyone knows that he is
To show what demagogy and trick
sters may resort to and by false talk
and promises seek to Supply and mis-
lead the negroes with spurious hopes,
in Baltimore they are c~anvassing
among the negroes and lying like
troopers We must make another re-
strictive quotation from the same writ
.er that the readers may see now the
Roosevelt medicine is already orklng
and his conduct is sowing the dragons
teeth of discord n death. He says
tha paid agents of the republican party
are throughout that city OF nearly 6Oo,-
600 inhabitants. We quote:
They are in our alleys n PACK
streets. labOring to convert the negro
who has become dissatisfied with the
difference between the promises n
performance OF the republicans; In
other words, to convince him that soon
he will be socially equal with n
whites: for has not President Roosevelt
had a negro to dinner in the White
house ?"-that he can marry into any
white mans family. for our party VIII
make the white man divide his money
with YOU and we will give you an
office.' This appeal to lust, cupid1ty
arr ambition is being made in a hum
dred forms: but it is always on the
same subject-the equality Of black and
white The white mans daughter is
the bait. sitting in the white mans par
lor' is another catch-word, and now tne
hireling of the republican party says
that nothing is too good for the gen
tIeman of color-even our great presl-
den has him to dinner at the White
house"