The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1901-03-19

earnest about question which seems to be so per-
functorily considered by the majority of the repub
hcans OF the country. We cannot refrain from
saying what we think about the southern question:
however, and the events of the past few weeks
have brought it orcibly before the public. But
short time ago the grand jury of South Carolina
court took cognizance of system of negro slavery
which it has long been tacity understood existed in
the south. That conditions have become so bad
that southern jury has been obliged to give them
consideration is in itself significant. 1t appears
from southern testimony that ignorant negroes
begulled into signing contracts for service which
bind them to do their employers bidding in every
thing for of years. These contracts stipu-
late that the master may punish his men as he sees
fit, that he may imprson them, that should they
endeavor to escape from this bondage reward may
be offered for their and return the reward to
be paid out of the earnings of the self-bound slave
With the bookkeeping all in the hands of a man
inscriptions enough to obtain such contract it
may easily be understood that once having signed
such an agreement the hapless negro is slave for
life slave just as degraded just as helpless and
just as hopeless those of ante beum days
Again, within the past two weeks has come the
regular list of lynchlngs. The latest was from
Tennessee where woman, colored woman of
course, was taken from her home at night shot
through the head, the body riddled with bnllets
and then thrown into the stream, and all this be-
cause, forsooth, it suspected that she had
found pocket-bo containing money and it was
thought that she had kept the money instead of
trying to find the owner.
The body of this poor woman, murdered because
suspected of minor crime, has been left to pol
Lutte the waters of that southern stream but the
foul deed has done far more; it has polluted the
very heart-blood of the white people of the SOUTH
it has left its touch of ntamy upon its fair daugh-
tiers and upon its men, it has betrayed state of
Is savagery which is disgrace and shame to a So
called Christian land. We have no words suitable
for gentle ears which at the same time fit to
express our opinion of the miserable, cowardly
nlsbegotten ours who partake in and countenance
such deeds IT, as the Texas justice of the peace
has decided, the people who take part in these
lynchngs are the sbest people of the United
States God pity the rest of US.
But while we accuse the people of the SOUTH let
not overlook the faults of the north in regard to
this same question. Are all potroons and
towards that we do nothing? Why do congresses
and presidents sit idly by, expending millions to
free the Cubans from yoke which at no time
as oppressive as that borne by the colored citizens
of America spending millions to hasten the spread
of our civilization in the Philippines and not one.
cent toward the protection of the American con-
stitution its own soil? Presidents have deplor-
ed these outrages in numerous messages, say you?
Yes, and the republican. party has deplored them
in numerous platforms, but what have presidents
or the republican party done? There are some to
whom the republican party more than
name, there some who love it dearly, who would
fight for it and if need be die for it, These are
they who see its errors and who weep for them;
these they who see in the temporizing sspocy"
tactics of today, the spirit of commercialism
which caused the north to hesitate before the war
and which made that terrible conflict neces-
sity. This is billion dollar country. Oh that
it were the country of some priceless souls,
souls even Quixotc as ohm Browns; souls that
know the right, and knowing, dare defend This
is the of prosperity, it is the s'Monroe Era of
the present. but unless stand is taken for the
right Buchanan's administration will come, and
then we pray to God that Lincoln and Grant
may be vouchsafed US. We want more than empty
words and deplorings, want action, we want
Legislation that shall make these wrongs to cease.
Why has congress refused why has it faltered and
held back why has this great question of civiliza-
ton been pushed aside for matters of infinitely less
importance? The last congress passed more than
a thousand bills and not of them looked toward
the relief of these oppressed millions of citi.
zens 1t is not disloyalty, it is rather the height Of
loyalty urge upon the party the right course, the
only course that in the end commend itself to
God and man.