Franklin's paper the statesman., 1912-10-19
STEADY ADVANCE
OF C0LORED men
Efforts to Maintain Rights Of
Citizenship Noted.


Afro Americans In Respect to Their
Duty to Make Every Reasonable Ef-
fort to Conserve tho Best Interest of
tho Race.
By education, long experience and
constant effort to maintain his integ-
rity as an American citizen the Negro
is at last taking his rightful place in
the ranks of all political parties with
earnestness of purpose and desire in
so doing to conserve the best interests
of the race in all sections of the coun-
try.
If the highest ideals Of our demo-
cratic form of government are ever to
be realized all fair minded men, wheth-
er in the south or other sections of the
country, must show their willingness
to accord to the Negro the political
rights which the constitution provides
| for all citizens without regard to race,
color or previous condition of servi-
tude. This is all the Negro asks of
Democrats, Republicans, the third"
party or any other political organiza-
ton.
This attitude of colored meu is in
line with the views recently expressed
by Colonel Henry Watterson, editor of
the Louisville UNy) CouricrJ ournal
Mr.. Watterson says:
"A new generation OF blacks has
come upon the scene. These blacks are
better educated In the north they un
derstand the situation. What do they
owe the Republicans? In our opinion.
nothing.
IF they ever expect to help their
brethren in the south this is good
chance to do 1t. because to the white
people in the south they must look for
substantial help and real advantage
and everything which allays race pref
udice and brings the two people nearer
together in friendly and neighborly in
tercourse will insure to the profit Of
the weaker in the life struggle.
The Courier Journal has never
sought to make party profit out of
the Negro. 1t is Eis friend and his
neighbor, his fellow citizen and his
fellow Christian. The whites cannot
prosper If the blacks anguish. We
are. whites and blacks. in the same
boat and we must sit fair and row
steady If we expect to be happy and
make progress
"The white man should want nothing
of the benefits of government for him
self and his children which he is not
willing TO allow the black man for
himself and his children. We are
mutually dependent We are bound
to live together. We cannot get away
from one another; hence n good work
ing and living understanding is the
basis of tie common interest.
The black people long ago learned
that some politicians had no use for
them except to vote them. Through
forty years they have been paying
debt they but half owed. In the
meantime the whites of the south
have been aiding them in substantial
ways. If they should turn about now
and vote the Democratic ticket in the
north or divide their vote they would
be pursuing u wise policy. By this
action they would be in position to
assert at once their intelligence and
their Independence. The Columbia
state of South Carolina opens Its
doors and welcomes the colored
voters In and says In doing so It
follows the advice of Alexander Ste
phens, General Gordon, Senator Zeb
Vance and Matt Ransom of North
Carolina and others There Is nothing
new or strange in the opposition we
are meeting with In our effort to ally
ourselves with the different political
parties, says Bishop Alexander Wal
ters. We have always met with strong
opposition in our endeavors to better
our condition. When the Negro asked
for admission into the army Mt the be-
ginning of the civil war he was told
that he was not wanted: that 1t was
white mans war. Even the great
Lincoln at first threw his weight
against allowing the Negro to fight.
bleed and die to save the Union and
break the shackles from his own
ankles and wrists. Did the Negro give
up because he was not wanted?
"No; he was told that he was making
a fool Of himself to offer himself to
the nation. TO enter the army. to die
20 help people who did not want
him. He was driven like n dog from
/ the Union camp. but the Negro had
sense enough to know that he would
better his condition by being admitted
to the army. allowed to fight for his
country and his freedom. so he persist
ed In hfs efforts and was finally ad-
mitted."
Afro Americans Who Arc Making Good
| In Beaufort. S. G.. the postmaster,