The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1920-04-19

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caused bitter feelings, it stayed neu-
trail because it knew the drys couldn't
win, and it always lost friends on
both sides. But in 1915 the Star
thought the drys had a chance to win,
and went in to help them win. Eve
body knows it followed different tao
tics from any ever used before-that
it didn't do any lOngrange shooting
but fired thru open sights at the men
right at home. The drys have always
credited the Star with the victory, and
the vets have always blamed it for
it. The drys had some money, not
very much. and some of which they
gave to the Star. but it wasn't half
as much as it lost in straight business
during the campaign and the month
or two after, nor half as much as the
vets had paid it for advertising dur
ing any preceding campaign. The
money made no difference; the Star
had decided its course anyhow.
All these things are well known 30
many, and should not dilate on them
if that dear Lou had not dug them up
from the cemetery of the past-What
for l know not.
AS for that little ticket business,
you know, Lou, that you could not
have carried it out without the intel
ligent cooperation of Commissioner
earn and the Star, and you know they
were as guilty as you boast to be, for
did not Johnny Moore threaten to put
us all in the penitentiary, and he
might have done it, too, if the SUI
preme court had not rescued US.
Now, as for the "nigger." You let
me impress ON your mind and that of
other folks, that l take the same po-
sition in regard to him as that taken
by Ben Hill, Alexander Stephens,
John B. Gordon, Henry Grady, Joel
Chandler Harris, Kit Warren, and
many other old fashioned southern
men, who knew the negro well and
held his confidence.
1t was one of these great men-I
don't remember which. but they were
all faithful to the South, and helped
her more than any deckfull of five
spots like you and I, Lou, who said:
Negroes were with me when | was
born, they rocked my cradle and
taught me to walk; they have been
faithful to me all my life, and when
| am laid away / will have no more
sincere mourners than my colored
| friends"
And his life. which ended years ago
proved the truth of what he said.
l have observed the Negroes behav-
ior for fifty years and read all the
history ever written about him.
know that he belongs to an inferior
race, and l don't believe he should
hold Office over the white man, nor
mingle in social equality with white
people. But l believe white mem
should help him whenever he tries 10
improve himself, and always give him
justice. The white man can't afford
to be unjust-injustice does him more
harm than it does to the negro.
My father owned slaves before the
war-when the war set them free they
remained on the old home place, crop.
ping on shares and paying the rent or
their little cabins by doing the chores
around the "big house" and bringing
in contributions from their gardens
They stayed with US and were happy
and we'll cared for until the family
moved away. In all my life, l have
never had any trouble with a negro
Some few have given me SASSY" talk
and some fewer have stolen from me
but nothing to make fuss about.
don't want the negro exalted abOvt
the white man, but l think it is baC
policy, if nothing else, to treat hin
with injustice.
Are you willing to come out on the
street, Lou, and hold up your righ
foot and say the Star has never pro
tested when a white man was wrong
ed? Because if you will, Lou, woul;
like to bet you money enough to pa!
my months room rent. which is now
due.
1t maybe that / am throwing ava!
time and typewriter ribbon on thi!
subject. You may remember, Lou
: that the poet, tho l can't remembe
which poet. spoke of the waste o
/ painting the lily, and / may be ex
travagant in putting any more yellow
on a sunfiower. 1t was Aesop l thihl
} who said that the donkey passed TO
/ lion until he tried to talk, and wis
: men of later days have declared tina
3 many a solemnass could pass himsel
off for a Solomon if he didn't write t
the newspapers.
So, goodbye, Lou;
: Pm thru.
4 The buck of debate