Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1908-10-29
NEGRO QUESTION
IN GRAND Old
M0N0N6AL|A co.
UGLY FEATURES OF THE RACE
QUESTION THERE.

Morgantown, oct 16.-Declaring
that he longed for the day to come
when the negroes would rise and an
swer their white oppressors with
shot and shell, Hoff Blue, a negro
electrified an audience of his race in
the A. NJ. e. Church here q few nights
ago.
The meeting had been called to
hear an address by the presiding ell
der of this district but he was unable
to get here and white speaker was
secured. Attorney Frank Bowman,
an ex-Democrat, provided the elo-
quence of the occasion. When he
mad finished Rev. Sandy Christon,
pastor of the church, who acted as
1 chairman of the meeting called for a
speech from Blue, whom he desig-
mated proudly as zone of our boys"
Blue launched into his speech at
once, taking up the Acknowledgement
and Jim Crow planks of the Demo
cratic party. He declared that he
earnestly desired that these measures
be enacted, together with others
equally harsh and obnoxious to the
negro population.
He said that the negro had been I'M
duly patient under the oppression
which had been melted out to him by
the arrogant whites and that 1t would
require much more uncalled for suf-
fering on the part of the down-trodden
negro before the race would assert
its rights and would raise the red
standard of revolt and kill and STAY.
He pointed out that slavery had
been abolished when 1t had become
so abnorrent to the world at large
that it could no longer stand passive
and see the work OF the institution.
He predicted that the harsh measures
of repression being urged by the DEM
ocratic party would be followed by
other more harsh and that the Hitter
ate members of the race who did not
now see the necessity for armed re-
sistance would be inflamed to the
point where they would gladly follow
the lead of the educated minority OF
the colored race and would join with
them in "a war for supremacy.
Bring on your Jim Crow law and
your Acknowledgement of the negro.
Still further insult and harass the col
ored race. Grind down the black
man Pile on his burden. 1t will
hasten the day when he will rise in
his might and answer the white OPP
pressor with shot and SHELL"
Most of the negroes missed the
point that the speaker was making
and there were loud outcries against
him. But when he had shown them
that ne really pointed the way to COM
plete equality and even to the SUI
premacy of the negro there were
louder cries of approval.
Blue is prominent In church and
lodge work among the negroes being
looked upon by them as the leader In
every activity of the race in this city.
He has been master Of the negro
masons here for years. Several
times ne has represented the state at
national gatherings of his lodge and
he has risen as far in Masonry as
the colored rituals go. He is equal
ly prominent in other secret societies.
He is a pillar of the church. He is
the best speaker in the literary socie-
ty and is a citizen Of means. He is
well educated for negro and he
speaks with all authority of his race
behind him when he gives utterance
to the incendiary challenge to a race
conflict because of the taking away
of the right Of suffrage and the en-
actment of the Jim Crow legislation.
The same idea of race equality mas
been prevalent here for years among
the negroes. Allie Smith, apother
prominent black resident, was asked
why he did not get married and ne
replied that he would never marry I'M
I'll he could have a white wife. he
Is as black as the ace of spades but II
has been whispered in the city that
this has not prevented him from es-
tablishing relations with white women
that lead him to hope that some day
the law may allow him to do legally
what he now does under cover and IN
the shadow OF punishment.
Some years ago a school board IN
the upper end of the county was
brought into court to answer COM
plant made because they would not
allow colored children to attend
school with the whites. They cited
the constitutional inhibition and the
case was dismissed. Neither the
complaining negroes nor their attor-
ney had apparently ever heard OF this
proposition Of the constitution protect
ing the white people from compuiso-
nv school attendance with negroes.
The provision in question was placed
there by the Democratic party.
The Morgantown negroes living SO
near the Pennsylvania line and fire.
quently visiting friends in that state
have learned many things about the
working of the free and easy laws OF
that state converting the wnite
and black man. In consequence they
are fnIl of the ideas of social equality.
The attitude of their leaders mere
shows how the rank and file feel. The
fact that they form small minority
of the population prevents them from
being dangerous in this community.
Their ideas however being transmit
ted by that peculiar Underground,
method of communication so well
,-,ou-,, IN tho negro will reach every