The Hindered Hand Part 29

"Do you think that either we Northerners or you Southerners get anything like an adequate view of the Negro?" asked Earl Bluefield, alias John Blue.

"Why not?" asked the governor.

"Well, you Southern people don't mix with them socially, practically never enter their best homes, and would be amazed, I am told, if you really knew of the high order of their development socially. It is said that you call them 'n.i.g.g.e.rs,' that your children speak of them as such, that you often speak harshly of them in your home circles, that many of your men are not as refined as they might be when they are dealing with Negro women, and that for these reasons the better grade of Negroes are leaving your domestic service, so that your observation of the Negro is more and more centered upon the type that does not represent the race at its best."

"I had never thought of that. We do call them 'n.i.g.g.e.rs.' I have a lot of trouble in keeping a cook. I wonder if that is the reason. Well, well, who would have thought that there was anything about a 'n.i.g.g.e.r' that Southerners would have to be told by a Northerner," remarked the governor, winding up with a loud guffaw.

"As for the tourist cla.s.s of Northerners," resumed John Blue, "and Northerners residing in the South, they see only the rougher side of Negro life, much as do you Southerners. The Northern missionaries whose duties place them in touch with the best and worst that there is in Negro life have the real rounded view of the situation."

The governor's affability now disappeared. Said he:

"Don't praise those mawkish missionaries to me. They are down here educating the heads of 'n.i.g.g.e.rs.' We white folks have got enough heads to run this country."

"Your irritation," said Earl, "paves the way for me to say what I came to say. We Northerners are tired of being estranged from you Southerners. We are becoming a world power and should have a thoroughly united country. Why don't you Southern people begin a campaign of education and let the North know your real mind, so that we won't tread on your corns so often, to use a homely phrase."

"Ha, ha! the North knows my views. They were heralded abroad everywhere and gave me the governorship. I had five planks in my platform and, to match your homely phrase with another one, they took like hot cakes,"

said the governor.

"Would you object to outlining your platform to me," asked Earl.

"Object? Why I am the boldest man in the South. I don't bite my tongue.

Surely you have heard of me," said the governor.

"Yes, I have heard of you," said Earl, "but I did not know but what you had been misrepresented by political enemies."

"Well, you can judge for yourself as to whether I have been misrepresented or not. The five planks of my 'n.i.g.g.e.r' platform are these," said he.

"First, this is a white man's country.

"Second, one drop of Negro blood in a man's veins makes him a 'n.i.g.g.e.r.'

[Ill.u.s.tration: "'We machine men in the South don't want this "n.i.g.g.e.r"

bugaboo put down. It's our war whoop.'"

(258-259.)]

"Third, public office, neither federal nor state, was gotten up for a 'n.i.g.g.e.r' to hold.

"Fourth, all money spent on educating a 'n.i.g.g.e.r,' except to teach him to work, is a squandering of the public funds.

"Fifth, the outside world be d----d. We will deal with the 'n.i.g.g.e.r' to suit ourselves.

"I will also tell you confidentially that I am one that don't want the 'n.i.g.g.e.r' question out of politics. We are living side by side with these 'n.i.g.g.e.rs,' and public agitation helps our people to keep in mind that there is an impa.s.sable gulf between the races. Such men as I am would be perfect fools for trying to solve this 'n.i.g.g.e.r' problem. A crazy man can see that the solving of this problem puts my kind out of business.

Thousands of Southern men can whip me out of my boots on any issue outside of abusing the 'n.i.g.g.e.r.' That's where I can go them one better.

Haven't you observed the universal lament that we are not up to the standard in point of statesmanship. The trouble is we ride into our kingdoms so easily. It don't take a genius to persuade a people that you can beat a more tender-hearted man keeping a 'n.i.g.g.e.r' in his place. We machine men in the South don't want this 'n.i.g.g.e.r' bugaboo put down. It's our war whoop."

"Aside from the political use to which you put your announced views on the race question, you really believe them, don't you?" asked Earl.

"O yes. I think the good of the world demands that the 'n.i.g.g.e.r' be kept in his place," replied the governor.

"Now, I am getting to the point," said Earl. "Lincoln once said our country could not always exist half slave and half free. You see he was right. Now a lesser light than Lincoln tells you that the policy of repression must obtain in all our country or none, for the nationalizing spirit is at work, and is sure in time to produce a national unity of some sort. Shall this unity, so far as touches the question of the races, be upon the Northern or Southern basis, is a very live question for you Southerners. Now I suggest that you Southern people make this question a national one."

"How can we raise the issue," asked the governor.

"Easily. You people have been tolerating Negroes in federal positions down here for years. Collectorships of ports, marshalships and numerous positions of honor have all along been held by Negroes. Become tired of this and demand that they be withdrawn. That will be an invitation to the nation to join with you in your policy of repression."

"Good! Good!" said the governor, clapping his hands.

"You can go further. The presidency of our nation is where the copartnership of the states finds conspicuous concrete expression.

Demand that none but a repressionist or a man silent on that question be allowed to occupy that chair."

"Good! Good! Good!" exclaimed the governor.

"Now as to your chances. The race instinct is in the North, but is not cultivated as much as it is in the South. Send your men to the North who are most adroit in their appeals to prejudice and you will find a force there to join you. Then remember you Southerners sprang to arms so gallantly in that skirmish with Spain that you made a fine impression.

It was discovered that you had been brave enough not to allow defeat to rankle in your hearts, a really good quality. A more opportune time for you Southern people to take a stand would be hard to conceive," said Earl.

Down came the governor's hand upon his desk with a thud.

"Don't you know I have been thinking that very thing. I have great influence in the councils of my party and I shall see to it that the 'n.i.g.g.e.r' question is the next national issue," said the governor.

"You will have one little backset," said Earl.

"The man whom you will have to oppose has made fewer Negro appointments than any of his more immediate predecessors and those made have been of a very high order--a thing that could not always be said. Again, he has made it a point to have no Southern adviser save a known friend of the best element of the Southern people."

The governor looked wrothy again. "Best element," said he, sneeringly.

"He is losing his time fooling with that crowd. All we radicals have to do is to crack our whips and they run to cover."

"That brings us to another point of considerable importance. When the campaign is launched, whose views on the race question shall be in the foreground--the views of the radicals or conservatives in the South,"

asked Earl.

"The radicals shall occupy the center of the stage, sir. We are tired of these half-way policies!" thundered the governor.

Earl now arose to go.

"You will certainly hear from us radicals as never before in the history of the nation--that is, since we jumped in the saddle and brought on the war," said the governor.

"By jinks, you don't think another war will come on, do you, Mr. Blue?"

asked the governor.

"Oh, no; we have had our last war with lead and steel. All of our internal conflicts for the future must be intellectual, it seems,"

answered John Blue.

"I am glad to hear you say that, for if we got into another tangle I do believe to my soul that these 'n.i.g.g.e.rs' would be a little less quiet than they were before. But for our political alliance with the North we of the South would have to be one of the most truckling of nations. For, what could we do to a foreign foe with all these discontented 'n.i.g.g.e.rs'

squirming in the fires of race prejudice, like so many worms in hot ashes. You are sure there won't be any physical fighting?" remarked the governor.

"The North would hardly hit you, for you are blood of their blood and they know how utterly helpless you are with an awakened race in your borders thoroughly of the opinion that you are not giving them a semblance of fair treatment," said John Blue.

"I gad, we must bring the North our way. I see that whoever, in this fight of the races, gets the outsider is going to carry the day. We are coming in the next campaign. Look out for us."

The two men bade each other adieu and Earl walked out of the office.