The sea coast echo. [volume] (Bay Saint Louis, Miss.) 1892-current, 1907-05-11

lie issues by the Doc5or, was given tuo
4 of campaigning-attacking Governor
bringing forth much criticism:
are amenable to reason and the appeals
of Justice. They have not been directly
talked to about the material interests
and momentous concern we have in this
Legislative reformation, which could not
possibly do them any harm.
Mr.. Williams credits me with claim
ing that snow is the hour" to repeal
the fifteenth amendment. say no such
thing. On the contrary, admit that it
may not be done in ten, or twenty-five,
or fifty years. I say there is "only one
thing absolutely certain about it,, and
that is that it "will never be done" by
men like himself, who are constantly
preaching against any effort in that
direction. do say, however, most en-
phatically, that "now is the hour" to
move forward and meet the congenial
sentiment in our favor that is daily
growing among our friends at the North.
do insist that the South should be-
gin "now" to respectfully, solemnly
and earnestly present and maintain a
solid front in protesting against this
unfortunate and unnatural legislation.
We should appeal to them in the name
of co mmon sense, common justice and
common decency until, like the unjust
Judge spoken of in the scripture, they
may hear us for our Importantly.
Mr., Williams, unfortunately, has per-
mitted himself to be lured from the
broad highway of practical statesman
ship by the phosphorescent CLEAN OF an
ignis fatuus. "Ultimate" Federal own
ership of railroads in the United States
is shimmering dream that disturbs the
political philosophy of no one but Mr..
Williams.
There is not the faintest shadow of
probability that any such propositi on
will be engrafted upon platform OF
principle by any political party in this
country within the natural lifetime OF
Mr.. Williams or Governor Vardaman.
He might just as well be making
speeches against the annexation OF
Canada to the United States.
1t is not presumed that these distin-
guished gentlemen need any advice from
me; nevertheless, as very humble
private citizen, take the liberty OF
suggesting that if they cannot find some
thing to discuss that more Immediately
concerns or more directly touches the
vital and material interests of Missis-
sippi than "ultimate Government own
ership", much valuable time might be
economical by both of them remaining
quietly at home and permitting the peo-
pie to attend to their individual affairs.
With 266 900 more negroes than white
people in Mississippi, with $4,000 mo re
negro men than white men of voting
age in the State, the existence of the
| fifteenth amendment to the Constitution
of the United States is not a dream, il
| is hideous reality pressing urgently
upon the apprehensions of every
| thoughtful Southern man.
When these negroes demand theiI
| rights of suffrage under the Constitu-
ton of the United States and the Con-
stitution of Mississippi, with the re-
quircments of which they are n ow able
to comply, and "nothing is more surely
written in the book of fate" than that
they will demand them, want to ask
Mr.. Williams: What are you going to
do about it? Confronted by such con-
dition, there are open to us but two
possible avenues of escape from civil
and political mongrelism. One is the
repeal of the deadly amendment, the
other is return to the ghastly alterna-
tive of violence and fraud, the mere
contemplation of which brings shud-
der which chills the finer sensibilities of
white civilization.
Although there is no difference be-
tween Mr.. Williams and his opponent
as to what they, at heart, really desire
| in this matter, yet every negro in Mis-
sissippi to-day regards Mr.. Williams as
| their champion in this contest. If you
don't believe it, ask them. 1t is to be
regretted that their beclouded intellects
will erroneosly construe the verdict of
the voters in this contest as for or
against the ultimate recognition of their
political equality.
| The Rockefellers, the Carnegies, the
milion-do Quakeresses, the Ogden
gang, a few bankers and high -salaried
bishops bid us to keep quiet, assuring
us thatcommerce, Conservatism, )" divi-
dends, "soft-shell" religion and uni
versal education will make us all "safe
and sane". So it was when the restless
lcrowd of red-headed Mortimer hung
upon the distant borders of imperial
Rome. The s'proud mistress of SUBJ
| jugated world" slumbered with fancied
security in the lap of luxurious wealth
Her priests and prelates, with the mock
solemnity Of assumed wisdom, gathered
about them the robes of hypocritical
sanctity and mumbled meaningless in
carnations, while the landlords, usurers
bankers and merchants sucked the life
blood of the people and bartered theil
liberties for gold.
i Mr.. Williams complains that "several
thousand copies" of my Il tier Hhave
been scattered broadcast over the State. >
can only say that it has not been scat
tered by my agencv~or request. / sim.
ply gave it out for what it was worth In
advocacy of my individual views of al
Impending" crisis. Some friend sem
Ime small package of reprints which
Iwere distributed only to parties wht
iwrote for and requested them. My
supply was by no means equal to de
Imand evidently stimulated by Mr.. Viii
/ Iiams' frequent illusions to it. He has
invested it with a notoriety it does no
INERT.
/ Tho trouble about acconf;nc, Mr. vii