The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1905-05-20
A New Leader.

paper some weeks ago printed an interview
with Mr.. Garrett, in which he vowed his inten-
ton to take part in public affairs, and last week
be gave a dinner to which were invited some
half dozen or more Republicans. The chief
topic of consideration, according to Balti-
more paper, was the best means of defeating
the franchise amendment to the Constitution.
The negro has placed himself in the lowest
scale of humanity Every other race has
something to be proud of The Chinese boast
of their long line of history, their philosophers
and statesmen, their skill in manufactures.
The Japanese are proud of their dynasty, and
their patriotism and devotion to their ruler IS
almost beyond compare. The Russian, the
German, the Italian, the Frenehman, the
Spaniard and the Englishman has pride IN
his race and country. 1t is the same with
the Filipino, the Cuban, the Porto Rican and
all other peoples. The negro has no pride of
race-no ambition. He makes but little effort
for self-improvement. Education is at low
ebb with the race There has been very little
advancement after forty years of freedom and
opportunity for education. Few exhibit in
dustry, and fewer still the habit of saving.
The negro is a happy GO. lucky race, with no
care for the morrow. Morality, as well as
education, is at low ebb also. An old maid
is unknown, and marriage is lightly consid-
cred. Serving a term in peniten;iary for
any crime is not held to be a disgrace Ma
tnral children are almost as numerous as le-
climate ones.
While the negro has placed himself the low
est in the scale of humanity, he has exalted
the white man as the highest. The negro
with light or yellow complexion holds him
self little above the one of real dark hue.
The lighter his color the greater is his aversion
to the black skins The most opprobious
epithet one negro can burl at another, is to
call him negro, or niger.
Now, after forty years of freedom and op
portunity for an education; after years OF as
sistauce from the whites in building and main
tanning churches, where DO We find the negro
the lowest, morally and mentally. They know
little of Booker T. Washington, the educator,
but all know of Joe Cans, the bruiser. He
is their ideal OF citizen. Not long ago the
best of the negro race in Baltimore gave him
a great reception, and in church, too.
With many years of opportunity ioF i'm.
provement, we find the negro has made but
little advancement. He has no desire to adj
vance, and it is now time to cut off the ignor.
ant and venal negroes from the privilege of
voting. II viii be no step backward for the
negro. He does not appreciate his privilege.
If the right TO vote is held out "a a prize for
mental improvement, some efior, al learning
may be made. Al any rate the State has
right to have an intelligent electorate. Nil
lions of dollars have been spent for public
education, and vast sums are being spent an
nually to give the masses educational advant-
ages. The object Of this expenditure was and
is 10 raise the standard ofeitizenship, mentally
and morally. and II is time the State should
be realizing from the expenditure. But here
is the Reform League, an organization which
breaches high ideals Of government, aud an
intelligent and honest electorate, declaring
against an addition TO the Constitution 10
eliminate ignorance And the new lumiuary.
Mr.. Garrett. and his select diners, are opposed
to the addition also.
These people, surely. cannot hope to have
much influence, while preaching high ideals
between campaigns and just before elections
doing the work Of the very partisans they so
denonnce. Leaders We must have. The PEG.
pie viii select them, bu, there win be little
room for the boss with an intelligent class
Of voters. Mr. Garrett has posed as the high
class patriot, but he has shown that he is as
much of Republican partisan as Mudd, Nc
Comas, jackson, Stone, Airy, Mason and
Hiram Wauy and Cummings, the negro poll
ticaus.
In 1895 Lowndes. Wellington, Clabaugh
and Goldsborough appeared in Republican
State politics. Because they were compare.
lively unknown they we're heralded as leaders
of younger and purer element in politics.
Aud what were there records Were they
better, or their aims and policies higher, than
those of other Republicans No; they we're
Just as partisan as. the most extreme; they
played for every partisan advan,agei they we're
as hot spoilsmen as the State has known.
And Mr.. Garrett, the new ideal leader Of ru
rity in politics, is Just like all other Republi
can leaders. BE would retain the ignorant |
negro vote, rather than risk prospect of Re
publican defeat. He would defeat an amend
meut to the Constitution, and thus endeavor !
TO force privilege upon a class of voters who |
know they are not fit to have the elective |
franchise He would, By defeating the amend. /
ment, hold out an indueement for the immi- |
grafton Of the Ignorant and shiftless negroes |
from Virginia and the Carolinas. He would
risk an increase Of immortality and crime in |
the interest of partisanship. He would ex-
pose females in larger degree to insult and |
assault, by increasing the population of vicious
and ignorant negroes from States further
South, who have deprived that class of the
privilege of voting. He would add to court
expenses and the expenses Of jails and peni-
Tertiary, so the elective franchise is aot dis
turbed.
One would suppose, from the personal and
business standing of some Of the members Of
the Reform League and Mr.. Garrett, they
would welcome the opportunity TO elevate the
electorate by eliminating ignorance. But, mol
These men are Republican partisans first.
Party success to them is Of the highest impor-
lance. No matter TO them if society suffers.
No matter if bad laws prevail. No matter if
crime increases. No matter if females are
exposed to greater dangers of insult and as
sauit. No matter what happens so the gnor-
lnt vote can be retained 10 give opportunity
for Republican success.
Let the people beware of the political pur-
lists. They are more extreme and partisan than
the practical politician. Sydney Mudd is a
saint compared with them, and Sydney does
not pretend TO sanity virtues. He is hun
lred times more to be trusted.
Chairman Vandiyer has called the State
Central Committee to meet at the Eutaw
House. Baltimore, at l o'clock, Thursday
May 25. The committee viii fix
date for holding State Convention TO nomi
nate a candidate for Comptroller, the only