The Washington bee., 1902-09-06
II Is Up To Them.

ne SITUATION al the South IS grow
ing more and more unfavorable TO the
manhood rights of the colored people.
Hitherto the southern whites began
their crusade against the freedom by
protesting against the extension of
privilege which in the remotest degree
suggested an acknowledgment of his
! social and civil rights. In this they
claimed justification on the ground Of
the incspacity ofthe colored people to
properly observe those amenities which
should.subsist among class OF refined
people. In this peculiar crusade, the
whites were encouraged by the &C
quiesence of the older colored people
who had grown up under conditions
which suggested the utter hopeless
ness Of social or civil recognition, aid
ed by other cringing and timber Joint
ed Younger col0red people who knew
their rights but for purposes of indi-
vldual aggrandizement not only ap-
plauded the determinations and un-
justices against the coIored people;
but joined in the cry that the whites
were right in keeping the nigger in
his place. and by voice and pen at
tempted to justify it, Then came tn
crusade TO prevent the colored people
from holding office. Moral suasion
was used TO accomplish this, then
murder and threats and intimidations
Just how far success has been obtained
in this respect may be seen in the few
Federal appointments which colored
people have received and gradual fall
ing off in appointments in the Civil
Service. ENCOURAGED by their success
in these respects. the southern white
man has succeeded in practically elm
mating the colored people as it regards
suffrage. The system adopted by the
southern legislatures could not pre-
vent few from voting and those few
would have embraced and enjoyed the
privilege of voting the Republican
ticket, had not a new movement been
set on foot. This time the crusade
came from the so-called political
friends and not the enemies of the col
ored people.
North Carolina has perpetrated
political crime, than which the mur-
ders and bulIdozing and ballot box
stuffilg of the avowed enemies of the
colored people constitute no greater Of
fense. Moreover the colored Repubh-
cans are stabbed in the house of those
who owe their elevation and influence
and power and wealth 10 them. The
ingratitude is more marked on ac
count Of the dastardly meannesS and
false assumption of the white Republi-
cans. Such men as Cheatham and
! O'Harra were ruthlesslY excluded,
Notwithstanding the fact that in point
ofinteiligen and worth they were far
superior 10 nine tenths of the whites
who excluded them and had rend red
great service 10 the Republican party
IN many ways on many urgent cases,
where their services were earnestly
solicited and gladly received. Now ii
would seem that all parties are striv-
ing to get rid of the colored brother.
Intimately related, to this condition of
things, is the position OF the northern
COlored voter. As yet he has not been
eliminated, nor will he ever be. He
holds the balance OF power in sutti-
cient number of states TO determine
the election of a President and the
complexion of a Congress. He has
been an ardeut Republican and never
deserted the standard. Other ele-
ments have often departed from the
beaten track and beeninconsistent; he
has never been. Now that his brother
is being driven to the wall by the south
ern white republicans, whatw Will be his
position at the next election Will he
demand a return TO Republican prin-
ciDleS or will he be satisfied to sup
port the party whose recent policy
seems to be dictated by the mostinvet-
crate enemies oftherace? The situation
/ is up to the northern colored voter. He
has often complained that the southern
colored politician has not been wise in
the exercise of his power in conven-
tions and party conferences. Now
that he can, will he do his duty? Let
the northern colored voter show his
moral courage and there may be
| satisfactory solution of the muddle.
| Brother northern voter, it is up to
/ you.
| sic Guilty.