The colored American., 1902-09-20

who will give our race the most favor
able recognition, both as to legislation
and place. 1t is of vastly more i'm
portance to the Negro everywhere who
shall be sheriff, tax collector, assessor,
mayor. councilman and members OF
the board of public works than who
shall be President of the United States
or Senator. 1t is eXpedient for us to
make ourselves respected by the man
who lives next door, and win by
| common-sense in business, politics and
in service, the good will of the people
among whom we must live In the
| South, the Negroes cue is to cultivate
| friendly relations by being mindful OF
| the interests of the ruling classes.
| They are democrats. The method is a
matter of detail, which can be best
/ worked out by those cOnversant with
the needs of the various localities.
Colored men who have intelligence,
property, and are law-abiding, will
gradually be preferred over those who
are lacking in these things and they
will not long be denied that which is
justly theirs. The problem is difficult
| in North Carolina, Alabama and the
| South, by reason of the number of our
people and their general condition,
but if the counsel of the cooler heads
is followed by the masses and if the
| Negro ceases to be the pawn of one
political party, remembering that
offensive aggressiveness in behalf of
the deceitful adventurers known as
lily-white republicans brings no bene-
t fetal result, a kindlier feeling will
l gradually come. This course is in line
: with business politics"-it is the
5 course of the skilful tactician Give it
O and DafipDt trial
e In the North the situation is a trifie
Y different. The Negro can vote and
= his vote must be counted as cast. He
4 | is the political equal of governors in
S the potentiality of his personal ballot.
He should conduct himself with be
coming dignity but should stand no
foolishness. If he wants a certain
thing done, he should vote for the man
that he thinks will the more nearly
carry out his wishes 1t is his right So
to do, and he should hold his man to
! account for any direliction in the per
formance of the moral contract enter
ed into before the election. Unkept
promises should mean the Withdrawal
of support The men who can afford tC
be thus Independent must be able [;
i've without the aid of the party man
ager, and snOuId be careful that theil
ives are clean and Wholesome, to in
Spire confidence on the part of their fol
lowers and to preserve their influence
- stiff course of this kind, standing
IN by his friends wherever he finds them
~ disdaining party labels where a rebuR'
n is needed, accepting no bribe from
!" unworthy Self-SeekerS. will make thi
Negro a factor in the politics of th'
North, and make his voice powerful /!
the conventions that divide nOmina
tiOns among the seVeraI elements tina
e- make up the party strength. Th'
Negroes in Ohio, Indiana, Illinois
Iowa, Kansas and New York stand il
Ia their own light by political solidarity
m and fail to secure their deserts by fac
is ional strife among themselves. The
nd | are entitled to small sympathy whel
no they are deceived by their SO-calle'
10 | friends, and refuse to strike back wit
ne me only weapon at their command
OF their ballot. The political Sky is no
nj bright just now, but The Colored Amer
A lean is confident that the sun will a
te | gain shine through thoughtful and IN
O. dependent action, governed by lOca
ne conditions, and that action stripped @
es party sentiment, of dead issues, and II
Ie dividual hatreds engendered by tn
&C | past Let us look forward.