The Marlboro democrat. [volume] (Bennettsville, S.C.) 1882-1908, 1903-09-11
IA STRONG PAPER.
lTContinned from nare j

A STRONG PAPER.
[Continued from page IL
party in the Philippines. But in com
monwealths where whites and blacks,
although races profoundly distinct
from one another, nevertheless live to-
gether, should be sorry indeed to
have the government controlled by the
blacks, The whites OF no northern
State would voluntarily submit to ne
gro government Even if negroes be
in majority, is it not idle to expect
southern States in this respect to do
what northern States would not? If
III southern States the refusal of white
men to be governed 10y black men
means that black men arc to be gov
erned by white men and against the
consent Of the black men, I dislike the
result as calamity to both races, per-
hapS the worst Of all the calanities
born Of the iniquitous slave trade.
Whatever, however, be our grief at
difficulties or inconsistencies, What
ever be their practical evils, it is idle
to ignore the vast racial difference be-
tween whites ani. blacks, or the vast
superiority Of the white race. So it is
idle to discuss whether white superiori-
ty be essentially and permanently iE-
horn, or whether it represent achieve
ments Of relatively short time which
the black race may likewise, and in as
short time, accomplish. In spite Of
many exceptions honorable to the
black race and dishonorablc to the
white race, the fact of the racial dif-
ference and Of the white superiority
is, for our generation and for genera
tions come. open to no doubt what
eyer. These exceptions do not make
the rule. The really great relative
progress Of the negro since his escape
from slavery does not alter the fact
The problem in the south is unique.
There we have two races dwelling to-
gether in closest industrial relation,
City and country alike-races not far
from numerically equal-races OF
which one on the average is very sup
erior to the other, but, nevertheless,
both races entitled and subject to Il
legal theory Of perfect and Democratic
political equality. No like problem
exists In any northern State or in any
Democratically governed community
Of which | know. If, on the one hand,
negroes be Systematically excluded
from the franchise while white men of
like qualifications arc admitted, then
clearly the white man rules the negro
without the lattcr'S consent, and the
foundation doctrine of the Declara-
tiOn OF the Independence and Of
American government and the
express law Of the land are
violated. Such result is lamcntablc
and demoralizing, like many another
inconsistency or anomaly. If, on the
other hand, there be no such eXclu-
sion Of negroes from suffrage, then in
some States at least negroes will rule
white men, with the result that, so
long as the conditions of negro life
are what they now are as the south
and what they must for generations
remain civilization itself will be un-
dermined and decay. The rule would
inevitably be what 1t was in corrupt
carpetbag days-a rule of ldycntur-
crs and demagogues kept in power by
ignorance, unspcallably disastrous to
white and black alike.
AS between violation OF American
doctrine and law and surrender OF
civilization, the southern States with
large negro populations have seized
the horn Of the dilemma which the
white Of any and every northern State
would in like situation seize. The
southern whites stand for civilization
as against political theory Of legal
right. And so they will stand. Nor
do l believe that the north will ctrec-
lively find fault. For only effective
faultllnding would dc the enactment
and execution Of a force law Sncll as
has been nowhere more severely con
ucmncd than on the editorial pages Of
the Evening Post. Nor will President
Roosevelt or his parry go further in
faultinding that they deem useful to
their hold upon negro delegates from
the south or negro voters at the north.
Doubtless, in some Of the northern
States whose political divisions are
nearly even, the negro voter is impOr-
tant to the Republican party. But
even there l venture to point out that,
with rare exceptions, negro delegates
are as effectively excluded from Repub-
lican conventions and from the tickets
proposed by the republicans at the
polls, us they are from the franchise
in any southern State. The ,Rcpubli-
can administration boistcrously up
holds the refusal Of political rights to
dark-skinncd men in Asatic islands
who would, if they enjoyed such
rights, rule themselves to IL result OF
solid though slow progress To their own
higher civilization, and, while so rul-
ing themselves, would not rule white
men to the prOstration of Caucasian
civilization. Is it not an aldacious in
consistency with which this very adj
miniStration breaches q contrary doc
trnc for southern States, and only for
those from which they do not hope for
a single electoral yotc?. Nor do l be-
licvc that the Republican party will
and sincerely propose a
single practical remedy for the south
arn difficulty. The more practical
such a remedy the more forciblc it
would have to be, and the more forci-
|,lc II, S)Ould bo. the more it's PROPOSAL