Evening journal., 1902-01-25
SATURDAY. JANUARY 70, 1902
An ADDIcIxs CLERGYMAN

AN ADDICKS CLERGYMAN
A correspondent in the Sentinel who
represents himself as a colored clergy
man, contributes something like a col
umn of comment on a recent editorial
of the Evening Journal To give his ut
terances an Addicks bearing he misin
terprets everything we said, which is |
especially reprehensible In a clergy
man.
We have. profound respect for all
religious forces and Influences, but we
have only contempt for anyone white
or black. who uses his sacred office tOl
bolster up political organization
which adds 10 our shame and degrada
tiOn. IL our remarks have found their
mark. the church is not hurt; but,
rather let us hope, purified and if a
gentleman of the cloth winccs, IL prob
ably is because we have touched q per-
s1nal sore spot
Neither can our remarks be construed
into censure of the negro, We have
maintained that the colored men are,
in sense, yet our wards, and should
not be regarded as mere puppets to play
with. The negro suffered centuries of
slavery, ignorance and oppression. Sud
denly he was freed and given the
franchise. IL then became the sacrodI
duty OF The white race to lead him. tol
guard and protect him Instead of this
There comes along soulless money
bag who. seeing the poverty and need
of the negro seeks to corrup, him for
his own evil purposes. In many cases
he Yields taking money for what
should bc his most sacred possession
his birth-rght, the ballot; and then a
negro preacher gets up and defends the
actl
This man Is leader among his
people; they look to him for advice and
direction, and he defends the man who
is dehauching and degrading his race
Now. Mr.. Preacher, when you say that
We made the negro the object of our
attack, you speak what you know to be
false, and for which there was no war
rant. We made the brber the object
OF our attack, because We hold the Sc
ducer To be worse than tho seduced
and we wonder to which class we must
assign you. Your sacred Office has not
taught you to misreprosent nor to
uphold system of corruption which
you know is tainting your race in this
State.
When we said that the floating vote
had increased four-fold, we meant
what we said But why should You
presume that il refers exclusively TO
the negroes? AS a matter of fact it
didn't refer to any such thing. A man
who sells his vote is doing a grave
wrong. whether he be white or black
and the man who puts temptations IN
his way. is a scoundrel, whether he
wears good clothes and smokes fine
cigars or rs a colored preacher Now
why isn't the issue met squarely? Why
Is II evaded by innuendoes Ito the effect
that other parties have been guilty o
vote buying? Isn't 1t sufficient that il
shouldn't the clergyman be more inter
cstcd in stamping it out than by spe-
cial pleas trying TO evade It.? Well, Mr.
Clergyman, since You represent a type
we win meet you on your own ground
We advise you and the few of your po
litcal bent 20 make a crusade agains
political corruption, no matter whic
party or faction is injured. If il sue
ceeds in defeating the Regular organi
zation, all right But make your fgh
not primarily for Addicks nor anyon
else bur for purity of elections anon
the members OF your race. That Wi
be a purpose in keeping with your call
ing.
This will be better work for you tina
entering into political contests
which tine outcome YOU desire would
through wholesale debauohery of yOi
own people. 1t would be better tina
newspaper controversies in which yc
are compelled TO wilfully misinterpr
an article meant TO be helpful "
have consumed some space IN consi
ering your case, but you represent
type which need instruction.