The broad ax. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1895-19??, 1904-08-13

without any question, mental or pO-
Iitical, slavery is by far the greatest
curse to the Negro. In numerous in
stances he has demonstrated his abil-
ity to rid himself OF many Of the evils
which are more than likely to i'm
pede his progress upward and onward.
This is truly gratifying to those who
are or have been interested in his
development along moral and educa-
itional lines. They have, however,
been sorely disappointed in him so far
as politics or political affairs are con-
cerned, for in this particular field he
has made no progress whatever, for
at the expiration Of almost fcrty
years he is still the mental or the
serv1le slave Of the Republican Party,
which is his greatest curse.
1t is incomprehensible to us how the
Negro can work himself up to the
point where he is willing to trihe
with his souls salvation. for he is
willing to forfeit his chances Of arriv-
ing within the pearly gates OF heaven
Or there is such a place, which we
doubt, by afliating with all the
wildcat churches In existence. He
will become a Methodist, Baptist,
Presbyterian, Catholic, Mormon, Chris
tan Scientist, Dowieite, and freely
follow the religious leaders Of all
other denominations, and hazard his
chances Of striking the straight and
narrow path, which is supposed 70
lead to paradise, for It is expressly
stated that there, is only one true
church, that all who fail to march
under its banner are eternaIly lost
With this terrible warning or ad-
monition hanging over his head he is
perfectly willing to traverse various
roads in order to find a resting place
with his imaginary gods throughout
eternity.
All this Is readily changed with the
Negro when it comes down to poll
tics, which only deal with the TEN
poral affairs Of men and not with their
spiritual welfare, and by permitting
the willy and demagogic leaders Of the
Republican party to mix up his re-
ligion and his politics together for
him; he has naturally arrived at that
mental condition which forces him to
believe that he must continue to
blindIy vote solidly for the party Of
Abraham Lincoln, regardless Of the
fact that men and political measures
have changed within the past forty
years.
His blind or unreasoning attitude
in this respect has reduced him to his
present deplOrable political condition.
and If he win persist in adhering to
his present course II is only a question
Of time until he viii cease to be a
factor in the political affairs Of this
country. As It is he can never regain
any Of his lost political power or
prestige until he refrains from per-
hitting any one to tell how he Is
going to vote simply on account Of the
color Of his skin. The members Of
no other race Of people in America
claiming to be civilized, would permit
themselves to pursue such a ruinous
course Of policy. The members Of all
other races and nationalities look upon
politics as a cold business proposition,
and the vast majority Of them cast
their ballots for the men who viii
best serve their interests, regardless
Of their politics, and enable them TO
enrich their pockets. While on the
other hand the Negro continues to live
In the dead past, and Is ever ready
to continue to vote for dead ideas or
sentiments. His mental disease in
this regard Is his greatest curse. he
A tolerant or friendly disposed to any