DigitalNC: North Carolina's Digital Heritage

THE WORK OF SISYPHUS. As we have said in another editorial it is useless to attempt to contradict and expose the statements of republican newspapers concerning conditions in North Carolina and particularly in Wilmington. Some appear absolutely blind to all the facts. If they read the numerous reports of events here they did not understand them or believe them. We have before us two Kentucky newspapers a border state classed as southern, but it furnished more soldiers for the Yankee armies than it gave to the south to help it fight nearly four times their number. The Commercial is the largest circulated paper in Kentucky, and it is republican and anti-southern. It calls the killing here "assassination and arson," and yet the slanderer must know that the fight was precipitated by the blacks. It is evidently after the true republican kind, very a'nxious for the huge Paternal Despotism to take the matter in hand and override and trample upon the limitations of the constitution and the reserved rights of the states.lt appears to think that in this goodly state, that has always been in its entire history far more conservative and law-abiding than Kentucky, there is no government existing. Until within a few days ago there was really "no government existing" in Wilmington worthy of the name and all but the liars know it. The Commercial believes in the negro governing the whites wherever they are in majority. Else it would not write as it does. It evidently is much worried and profoundly sorrowful over the negro deprivation of the ballot in South Carolina, Mississippi and Alabama. If it means anything it means that the negroes ought to control these three important states. It perhaps never heard of their attempts from 1866 to 1876 in the south, and what a "mess of it" they made, piling up largely over $100, 000,000 of debt from which the state received scarcely any benefit. This fine organ of negro rule and demagogue tooting says that "North Carolina has preferred the reign of terror." Wait and see. In this city that was forced to deal with insurgent negroes sharply, killing a few, when they were threatening and warring upon the whites, the serenest order now prevails and a government of true white men is in power. The white race here almost to a man rose up as a mob but in the true spirit of revolution, and in forty eight hours got rid of anarchy and all it means, set aside the merest semblance and' sham of a negro government under which all was disorder and danger, and established a city government well based upon right and justice, and the orderly and prompt enforcement of law has been conducted ever since. There is no anarchy or whites killing of negroes this way. There will be no further trouble between the two races here unless caused by the negroes themselves. All is quiet and peace reigns supreme… (Clipping 2) The Chicago Record had an editorial on the Wilmington "race riots," and it was a commingling of just absurd sentiments. The following was proper: "One must sympathize with the desire of the white citizens of North Carolina not to be ruled by the ignorant and the propertyless element of the state. The intelligent and the powerful ought to and will rule in every community, and nothing can stand in the way of their exercising dominant authority. Nor is it desirable that anything should. So far, therefore, as the revolt of the white citizens of North Carolina against Negro rule is a re volt against ignorant rule, the white men are deserving of sympathy."... (Clipping 3) FORTY THOUSAND There are about 40,000 negro voters in North Carolina who do not pay a poll tax or any other tax. They live in the state, enjoy the rights and privileges under the laws, are employed by white voters most of whom are democrats and invariably vote against the personal interests, the business interests of their employers, and yet they do not contribute one cent, one farthing to the support of the government municipal or county or state under which they live and toil and vote. Is it right, is it moral, is it wise, is it just, is it commendable that 40,000 negroes should vote to tax the white burden bearers who have no public burdens themselves? Is that a good government, worthy to support and praise that allows such a gross outrage, such an oppression? No man of sense and honor can say it is right and should be allowed. In this state 40,000 black electors are the law-makers and governors hitherto under the combine who never give a penny of their labor to carry on the government in North Carolina under which "they live and move and have their being." And yet northern fanaticism and political ranters declare that this anomaly and outrage is all right, and men who seek to rid themselves of the tyranny and insolent abuse of office are assassins, murderers, and savages. Out upon. the fools and slanders. Let Chicago and Louisville or New York or Boston have the experience of Wilmington and they will make it a pandamonium for the negroes. Let Illinois or New York or Massachusetts have an ignorant, besotted population all united and all paying but 3 1-3 per cent of the total taxes of the state, and yet controlling elections and legislation and government, and afflicting (Clipping 4) and injuring the white men who pay 96 2-3 per cent, of the taxes and in a week there would be an uprising that would sweep out forever the oppressors. They would not stop to consider what McKinley would say or what congress would do or what pulpit demagogues would harange, or what angry newspapers would denounce. They would strike hard and quick for rights and independence.