The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1902-03-04

startled by the voice Of the preacher
calling HIM from bclow.
What's the matter with YOU Mrs.
Durham sent ne 20 End you. Shr ~aa
AFRAID yon had gone az on tsc roof aad
walked OF
III Re ready IN a minute. Doctor. he
called from the window
What have rou been doing asked
Mrs. Durham when Ne Joined her
Building a home for her H. cried
in a whisper He went behind the chair
where his foster mother sat pour,nx his
tea. bent low and kissed Acr high for.
bead. Sweet mother, IN never call
you auntie again"
Tears srang 10 her eyes. ana she Kissed
his hand. ;enderly holding i, to Scr lir~
An Love Is a wonder worker. isn't
he. Charlie"
Yes. and / cant realize the SOY ,ha,
lifts and inspires nv when / think that
am one OF the elect. It's too roci 10 hs
true. | have been initiated into the
great secret Of Eternity. / have tasted
the water Of Life. / shall net see
Death.
Later he found the preacher quietly
smoking. seated on the rustic settcc an
der a giant oak that stood on the corner
o. the square.
Charlie. I've heard some startling
news since you eft home. and l can't
sleep nights thinking about IT,.
You've heard Of Mcleod scheme :
Exactly. And II means the ruin Of
the South unless it can BE- defeated
How are YOU going to do it,
ITS a puzzle. but it's got to be don.
/ tell YOU the future OF tho State ana IN,
South depends on our keeping tho white
race a unit in politics and in thought
The moment We divide while tho negro
holds a ballot. the white man wili hcgia
10 court that ballot. To do this they
must get on his level. When the white
race begins to hobnob with the negro and
seeks his favor they must grant him alb
solute equality. You cant ask a man TO
vote for YOU and kick him down your
front doorstep and tell him to come
around the back way"
Il think you e~xaggerate the social dan
ger. but l see the political end Il IT
/ don cXaCgerate in the least. am
looking into the future. There is enough
negro blood here to make mulatto the
whole Republic.
Such a danger seems too remote for
serious alarm TO me- replied The young
er man.
An, there's the tragedy" passionate
~ u ne preacher. You Younger men
are growing careless and Indifferent TO
this terrible problem. It's the ore un-
solved and unsolvable riddle OF the com
ing century. Can you build in a Demo
cracy a nation inside a nation. OF two
hostile races? We must do this or be
come mulatto. and that is death. Every
iEch in the approach of these races across
the barriers that separate them is a
movement toward death. You cannot
seek the negro vote without asking him
to your house. he will break bread with
YOU at last. And If you seat him at your
table. he has the right to ask your
daughters hand in marriage"
ut seems to me a far cry to that, But
l see the political crisis. What is your
plan?"
"This-organize the young Democracy
in every township in the State and put
yourself at its head, control the prima-
ries and down the old crowd. They've
got to follow you. Fight the campaign
with the desperation OF despair. If you
are defeated, God have mercy on us. but
you will be ready for the next battle
I'll do it," said CASTOR with empha-
sis.
Then | want you to go on a mission
to Col. Duke, the President of the Ma
tIoudl fdIlHeI 5 AiiidnCe. ne a EOOl
Baptist. He means well. but he's crazy.
He dreams of the Presidency when he
has established the Sub-Trcasurv for the
farmers He's afraid Of the negro. and
is nervous about using him. He knows /
am the most influential Baptist preacher
in the State. Tell him l say you Will
win, and that We will give him the nomi-
nation for Governor, and put him in line
for the Presidency"
when shall ! go to see him.
Immediately. Get ready tonight"
The next week McLeod was seated in
his office at Hambright receiving reports
behind the ground glass door on which
Revenue, Western District of Y. C." The
reports he was receiving. however, were
from his deputy collectors, but from
his political henchmen at Raleigh.
Il tell you, Mcleod, there's a hitch.
Something's dropped. Dukes as coy as
a maid OF sixteen. He says no decision
can be made now until he submits a lot
of rot to all the lodges of the Alliance
and the referendum" decides these
points. You'd better get hold OF him and
the kinks out Of him quick"
McIIeod's eyes flashed with anger, as
twisted the points of his long red
raoustache.
It's that damned Baptist preacher
said. "Ill get even with him yet if
it's the only thorough job l do on this
EARTH