Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1905-09-22
Decentralization Of che Negro.

why axe land owners leaving their farms
sar.l e 4 the lack of labor.
WASt creates the demand for small farms
.4atN b gbor to cultivate larger ones.
WhaS guses lack OF labor to I'LL the farms
The Generalization OF the colored people by
pOliSca and the small smatterlng Of educa.
ton they have been able TO take.
When the ballot was given to the negro
his downfall began, and the colored schools
and Republican demagogues have about
completed the decentralization Of the race.
The ordinary negro likes the life Of towns
and cities, where backing boots, selling pa
pers, playing crap and politics furnish him
all the occupation he wants. On the water
courses he can fish and oyster at his own
pleasure, and he can manage TO live through
the year with what he earns, together with
what can be obtained at primaries and cleo
tons.
| Everybody knows that negro labor, some
| what OF dependence all over the State and
almost the only reliance In many counties
q not as efficient as it was forty years ago
The decline has been gradual and steady.
When slavery was abolished many negroes
| thought IL meant freedom from work. All
customs and practices that pertained TO the
| days OF servitude were laid aside. The banjo
was discarded and corn bread eschewed :.
| The evening hoe down lapsed into dsfavor
| Manufactured tobacco took the place OF the
natural twist. The old homes were lett.
Freedom 10 most OF the negroes meant an
entire change-there would be no freedom
| without IL.
When the voting privilege was conferred
| on the blacks, that race assumed an air Of
| importance and impudence. When public
schools were opened 10 them the rush for
an education was great. 49,
| Had legislation In reference to the negro
race stopped when slavery was abolished, the
negro might have remained a good citizen
and reliable worker. But with the ballot
and opportunity to go to school the demon.
alzation OF the negro race has become gen.
eral. Every succeeding generation shows
decline in usefulness and an increase In
viciousness. Fifty years ago assaults by
negroes upon white women were I'M
knOwn-they have been frequent since.
Fifty years ago crime by negroes was
scarcely out of proportion TO their numbers.
To-day it is largely In excess.
The negro Is with us, and will stay. IL
is to the Interest of the white people to do
what they can to make the negro a useful
citizen. The ballot has been failure; the
school has not wrought habits OF industry.
| NO one Whuts IetuIu VI elnNOiyi o'0n ~
il could be re- established. No one would
abolish colored schools, although their es-
; adjustment has not been generally beneh'
cial. But the ballot should be taken away.
With the ballot came the designing and
scheminR white man 10 play upon the fears
of the negro that be might profit politically.
The white demagogue remains, and cor
ruptIop with money and whiskey has been
added. With the ballot recalled the negro
NAV be improved as to habits OF industry
and efficiency as a laborer. This belief 10
generally held. At any rate, the general
Electorate will be elevated by the elimlna.
tIop Of q mass Of ignorant voters. The
ADOPTION of the proposed amendment, It Is
confidently believed, will arrest the down
ward course Of the negro, and turn him
, hack 10 paths Of usefulness, and will purify
politics TO q large degree. Some OF the
whites. who have lived by politics through
their ability TO manipulate the negro vote,
viii have TO retire 70 private life and give
place 10 better men.
There are great possibilities for good In
the adoption OF the amendment. II will be
A bad day for both races should the amend
ment be rejected. - Westminstsr Adcocdte.