Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1904-01-29
.PURIQICATION OF
THE BALLOT
Necessity of Honest Working
and Decent Citizens Being
/. In Active Politics.
tiles Alone, Politics Become
Dlsreputable.
pRhpHRFIc V0pns M MI RnIS
PROPHETIC WORDS OF DU BOIS.

& Editor of the Iowa Bystander:
It seems to me that the import
ance of the right of suffrage is
not fully appreciated by many of
the citizens of Iowa in general
aud by the Negro in particular.
II one will take the most casual
glance at the pages of our ma
tional history just prior to 1868
twill be seen that it took rey-
olution to give the Negro the
right of suffraga-a means BY
which he can protect and defend
his rights under the law and the
constitution of the United States.
There were approximately 25O,-
600 Negro soldiers who aided ma
terially in bringing about the
radical changes that Immediately
followed the internecine strife.
The above figures do not in
clude the thousands upon thou
sands who aided by their labors
ia many ways the union army.
The blood and treasure required
to overthrow a great wrong are
beyond computation. The i'm
mensity of this undertaking was
not dreamed Of, and at its close it
could not be measured. The is
sues Of the war we're erystalized
into law, and the suffrage Of the
Negro is one Of the results. He
who does not honor the trust i'm
posed upon him il either . knavs
or a fool.
Each and every citizen is re.
sponsible for the ballot he casts,
and it is placed to his credit OF
fdiscredit. Every 1nan,Who earns
his living for himself and family,
who is in business, who owns a
home, who pays rent, who has
hope and ambition-each and
every one assumes responsible
ity when he goes to the polls to
vote. The ballot which he casts
may have an effect on future gen.
erations for veal or woe. It may
effect the welfare of his own chill.
dren in the future. Our brethren
in the South are being disfran'
chised. They have passed the
stage of sympathy and their con
dition cries out to the nation, as
we'll as to every Negro voter il
Iowa, to do his whole duty to aid
them. Nothing can be expected
from the Negro who puts himself
upon the auction block and is sold
to the highest bidder in the poll
tical market. It is not to him
that We look to for aid in this
crisis. But rather the working
masses, to the home builders, t
the man with family and chill
dren. These constitute the ma
jority of the Negro population Of
Iowa and upon them rests the
greater'responsibility. They mus
pat themselves in evidence ant
be at the polls on election day:
| to do their duty and give th.
Negro a standing and respecta
Ibility in political circles and par
ty councils.
THE POLITICAL MOTIVES
No man acts without motive
This has been true in every agt
and is a fact today. Names hav,
been handed down to us of mer
who have acted for the genera
good from pure and unselish mo
tives. But those who have beer
selfish, venal and nercenary hav,
received and deserve the seorr
and contempt of all decent men
Among the former class il
modern times can be mentioned
such names as Lincoln, Grant
Sumner, Logan, and Fredericl
Douglass. Nothing could temp
them to give up a conviction 0
right and duty. A notable ex
ample to the contrary is that o
William II. Seward. He made
speech in which he declared tha
there is an irrspressible conhic
between slavery and freedom.
Mr.. Seward was 4 candidate 70
president against Lincoln th
first time and in his Stewards
anxiety to gain the nomination