Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1903-10-08
STILL CONFEssING AND AVOIDING.

STILL COMPRISING AND AVOIDING.
We publish in another column an edito-
rial, "Virginia Republicans and Negroes"
taken from the Richmond News Leader.
1t is responsive to two editorials which
appeared in the columns of the "Republi-
can" in its issue of the oath of September.
We reproduce the entire article of our
esteemed contemporary, that our readers
may see how our presentation of facts is
controyerted and avoided. OF course we
do not expect the News Leader to repro
duce our articles. They are necessarily
too long to enter the columns Of a daily
paper. We wish it could, so that its read
ers might have an opportunity to read
both sides and judge of the merits of the
controversy and pass upon the facts as
presented.
The frankness Of the News Leader in
admitting that Republican victory in Vir'
GINA did not when existing mean negro
supremacy is truly refreshing; but its sim
gular effort to prove that the negroes
would have controlled the Republican
party in the State if it had continued vic
torious, is an illogical and unreasonable
deduction. We again assert, with posi-
tive conviction, that negro supremacy was
no more probable as result from contin-
ued Republican victory secured with the
assistance of the negro vote than it was
possible from permanent Democratic sue
cess attained by the aid of that vote.
The News Leader admits "that the
Democrats sought by all fair means known
to politics to divide the negro vote" Not
only did they use fair, but in many instan-
ces foul means to accomplish that end.
The effort was not made, however, until
Democracy had lost and was losing in the
white districts. Then came its despairing
cry: "Help me Cassius, or l sinkl' Then did
the peerless Daniel and his power'lov-
ing, place.hunting Democratic associates
"humble their pride of race" and beg the
negroes to come to their rescue. The
greater part of the negro voters did not
yield to the persuasive pleadings Of the
Virginia Democracy. Instinctively, as a
matter of principle, the best element of
the race stood firmly by the Republican
party. Because they were manly enough
to vote the way they thought was right,
they be came objects of hate to the Demo
cratic politicians, and white Republicans
we're made targets for vllifcation and
SANDER for allowing the negroes to vote
with them, even from matter of princi'
pie. Desperate politicians then originated
the shameful and cruel issues on the race
question, that had their beginning with
the DanviIle massacre. They succeeded,
at this awful price, in checking what ap-
peared to be marvellous growth of white
Republican strength in the State. But,
even now, with the negro practically elm
mated as factor in Virginia politics, the
race question is artfully employed as
means for keeping the white vote solid for
the Democracy. From force of habit even
our able, and sometimes independent,
contemporary strives to make it a live
issue. Witness its reference to conditions
that existed in certain Southern States
during and Immediately following what is
known as the Reconstruction period. 1t
is true they had negro magistrates then,
but that is no reason for asserting that
there would nave been negro magistrates
in Virginia if the Republican party had
controlled the State since 1882. 1t is more
reasonable to argue that the Democrats in
Virginia would have appointed negro
magistrates ifthey had won the State by
the aid Of the negro votes when they
begged for them in 1879 and 1881. For,
when the Democracy got control of South
Carolina under the leadership of General
Ham pton be had negro magistrates ap-
pointed in that State. And, if we mistake
not, negro magistrates have been appointed
in recent years in the State of Mississippi
by Democratic authority. We know that
negro postmasters have been appointed in
Virginia by Democratic President at the
request of the Democratic Congressman;
and we have right to infer that these
appointments were made in recognition
of political service.
"Again, we say that Republican victory
in Virginia did not mean and does not
mean negro supremacy. The white Re-
publicans would not permit it, and the
Republican negroes would not desire it.
Negro supremacy is nothing but Demo