The Muskogee cimeter. [volume] (Muskogee, Indian Territory, Okla.) 1901-19??, 1912-10-19
STEADY ADVANCE
OF COLoRED Men
-rlrur,s- n malntafn Rights Of
Citizenship Noted
WORK FOR ee1TeR RESULTS

Optimistic View. 81 cssrss. rshsH ~
Asrs .Amsrissns In Rssesst 70 Their
DUTY % Mshs Every Reasonable ~.
tsrt e Conserve ths osst Interest ss
the Nsss.
By education. long espsr'encs, and
constant effort to maintain biz integ
rity a. an American citisen the Negro
= st last taking his rightful place In
the ranks Of oil political parties with
earneatness Of purpose and desire In
20 doing tp conserve the best Interests
Of the race - al sections Of the co'in'
try.
II the highest ideals Of our demo
cratic form Of government are ever "
be realized nj, fais niaded men. whsth
Of In tue south Or othss sssoess Of The
country. must show ths6 Willingness
to accord to the Negro ths political
rights which the constitution provides
for oil citizens without regard to race.
color or previous condition Of servi-
tude This u all the Negro asks OF
Democrats. Republicans. the third"
party or any other polwiral organiza'
tion.
Ttis attitude Of colored meu 10 IN
line with the views recently expressed
by Colonel Henry wstterson. editor OF
the Louisville (Ky) Courier'Jourual
Mr.. Watterson says:
"A new generation Of blacks has
come upon the scene. These blacks are
better educated. In tho north they un
derstand the situation What do they
owe tho Republicans7 In our op'Rion.
nothing
III they ever expect to help their
brethren IN tho south THE IL good
chance to do II. because to the white
people In the south they must look tor
substantial help and real advantage.
and everything which allays race pre)-
udice and brings the two poopss nearer
together In friendly and neivhl'oriy In.
tsrcourse will insure 10 the pr0nt OF
the weaker In the lifs struggle.
"The CeVrIcr,Journai has nevs!
sought to make party proht out oa
the Negro. II N his friend and hid
neighbor. his fellow citiseu and bid
fellow Christian. The whites cannot
prosper II. the blacks languish. W.
are. whites aud blacks, IN the same
boat. and We must sit fair and row
steady II we expect to b happy and
make progress.
"The white man should waSt nothing
OF the benefits OF government for him
Al. su,hlxv1S n II mi
willing to allow the black man foI
himself and his children. We On
mutually dependent We are bound
10 i've together. We cannot got away
from one another: hence Q good work
ing and living understanding 10 tA'
basis Of the common interest.
"rhe black people long ago 'earnss
that some politicians had no use To-
them except TO vote them. Through
forty years they have been paying ,
debt they but half owed. In th'
meantime the whites Of the sOutl
have been aiding them IN substantial
ways. II they should turn about nov
and vote the Democratic ticket In th'
north or divide their votc thcy woul'
he pursuing a wise policy. BY thi
action they would be In position 4
assert at once their intelligence an
their Independence. The Columbt
state Of South Carolina opeOs II
doors and welcomes the colOre'
voters In and says In doing ~
follows the advice Of Alexander Ste
phens. General Gordon. Senator Ze
Vance and Matt Ransom of Mort
Carolina aud others There IL nothin
new or strange In the opposition W
are meeting with In our effort to all
ourselves with tho different politics
Parties. says Bishop Alexander Wa
ters We have always met with stron
opposition In our endeav vors to bette
our condition. When the Negro aske
for admission into the armv nj tho N
s,uning ~ the civil war he was tol
that he WAS not wanted; that II wa
white mans war Even the gre,
Lincoln az hrst threw hh weigl
against allowing the Negro "a ngh
bleed and de to save the Union an
break the shackles from his ow
ankles and wrists. Did the Negro 81,
up because he was not wantedt
"No; he was told that he was maxim
a fool Of himself 10 offer himself
the nation, to enter tho army. to Al
to help a people who did not wal
him, lie was driven like q dog fro,
the Union camp. but the Negro hs
sense enough TO know that he woul
better his condition by being admitte
70 the army. allowed TO naht for b
country and his freedom. 90 hs persis
Cd In his efforts and wAs anAlIy a,
mitted."