Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1928-04-07

to admit any Negroes, but that If
court decision forbade the party tt
exclude them, there would be ne
serious distress or concern with the
party if a few Negroes OF lnteill
gence and public spirit participated
in the primary.
The leayen lis working. Ane
again:
The question that politicians are
asking is: How far would this In
filtration go? If few Negroes
were admitted, would not a multi
tude seek to get the ballot? :,
Undoubtedly, the process WouIc
be progressive, but only those coule
participate in the primary, OF
course, who could qualify for the
general election. And as the re-
ouirements for voters are now I'M
posed, very few Negroes could pass
the gauntlet. The prospect OF any
large influx of Negroes into the
Democratic party under any court
decision, is accordingly remote:
But what of tomorrow? Looking
down the years, Democrats who
have eyes to see the trend Of the
times must realize that as education
is spread, more and more Negroes
can qualify under any reasonable
administration of the educational
tests. Illiteracy among the Negroes
is diminishing rapidly. At least
twice as many as could DO so IN
1904 are now able to qualify, II
given only the tests applied to white
voters. Here in Richmond, for ex-
ample, 1919 per cent of the Negroes
were illiterate in 1920. as compared
with 1876 in 1910. Twenty years
hence, illiteracy among Negroes will
be no higher than the present white
rate. What will be done then?
When the parties no longer can bar
the Negro because he is illiterate,
will they continue to bar him be-
cause he is Negro?
Where or how intelligent, think
ing manly beings in this country
could get any such idea and enter
tain it until it has become belief
has always been a puzzle to US.
No city or State in this country af-
fords any such example. Manly
action, courageous efforts super
vised and controlled by politeness,
but with a persistent force of char
acter to back it up has ever won
for an electorate any permanent re-
suits in this tor in any other country.
Servility breeds contempt. ITO
bend the supple hinges Of the knee
that favor follow fawning" en-
phasizes and proves that such
person or persons are inferior and
are rightly excluded from the exer-
else of those great privileges, which
have made the United States OF
America and it's leading citizens
great. You must enter the Demo
cratic party through the front door
and not by way of the alley or the
back gate.
Those persons who doubt the cor
rectness of this conclusion have
been reading history with their eyes
open, but with their minds closed
to it's lessons and teachings. The
only way TO secure the heneAis &c
which a reference is made is to
secure them, like every other race
has had to obtain them and that is
down the avenue Of political indie
pendence. fighting politically with
energy and respect every foot OF
the way. cEc-yT1NC ~
When Negroes organize in this
city and expend their money upon
such an organization, this. organiza-
ton will become sufficiently strong
.inancially in time to conduct the
fight in the courts. This is why
The "Lily.whi,e Democrats" ~
he "Lily-White Republicans" are
looking at the, Negroes with "goo-
20 eyes, and are making faces at
them. FF!L g.
This is a mastery conclusion. But
above it all is the God of the
Universe, the onward march of time,
the final trimph Of right and elimi-
nation of these petty prejudices, in
some form or the other in all parts
of this country. It is to be re-
GREETED that this effort to get into
the Democratic primary in this city
is based on mercenary grounds, the
securing of street improvements,
etc. The motive should be higher
than that. It may be that we shall
deal with further discussion of
this all important question. e.,.,.-
We can contend for rights, we
must beg for favors. Along the
road way Of the former, thousands
will be. found pressing for success.
Along the roadway of the latter,
camp-followers will be pressing for
ward, with the certainty of defeat
in the offing.
Nothing great is lightly won