"I am afraid, Major Norton, that it is useless for us to continue this discussion. You are quite determined to maintain the policy of your paper on this point?"
"Quite."
"I am sorry. The _Eagle and Phoenix_ is a very powerful influence in this state. The distinguished a.s.sociates whom I represent sent me in the vain hope that I might persuade you to drop the agitation of this subject and join with us in developing the material and educational needs of the South----"
Norton laughed aloud:
"Really, professor?"
The visitor flushed at the marked sneer in his tones, and fumbled his lavender tie:
"I can only deliver to you our ultimatum, therefore----"
"You are clothed with sovereign powers, then?" the editor asked sarcastically.
"If you choose to designate them so--yes. Unless you agree to drop this dangerous and useless agitation of the negro question and give our people a hearing in the columns of your paper, I am authorized to begin at once the publication of a journal that will express the best sentiment of the South----"
"So?"
"And I have unlimited capital to back it."
Norton"s eyes flashed as he squared himself before the professor:
"I"ve not a doubt of your backing. Start your paper to-morrow if you like.
You"ll find that it takes more than money to build a great organ of public opinion in the South. I"ve put my immortal soul into this plant. I"ll watch your experiment with interest."
"Thank you! Thank you," the thin voice piped.
"And now that we understand each other," Norton went on, "you"ve given me the chance to say a few things to you and your a.s.sociates I"ve been wanting to express for a long time----"
Norton paused and fixed his visitor with an angry stare:
"Not only is the Negro gaining in numbers, in wealth and in shallow "culture," and tightening his grip on the soil as the owner in fee simple of thousands of homes, churches, schools and farms, but a Negroid party has once more developed into a powerful and sinister influence on the life of this state! You and your a.s.sociates are loud in your claims to represent a new South. In reality you are the direct descendants of the Reconstruction Scalawag and Carpetbagger.
"The old Scalawag was the Judas Iscariot who sold his people for thirty pieces of silver which he got by licking the feet of his conqueror and fawning on his negro allies. The Carpetbagger was a Northern adventurer who came South to prey on the misfortunes of a ruined people. A new and far more dangerous order of Scalawags has arisen--the man who boldly preaches the omnipotence of the dollar and weighs every policy of state or society by one standard only, will it pay in dollars and cents? And so you frown on any discussion of the tragic problem the negro"s continued pressure on Southern society involves because it disturbs business.
"The unparalleled growth of wealth in the North has created our enormous Poor Funds, organized by generous well-meaning men for the purpose of education in the South. As a matter of fact, this new educational movement had its origin in the same soil that established negro cla.s.sical schools and attempted to turn the entire black race into preachers, lawyers, and doctors just after the war. Your methods, however, are wiser, although your policies are inspired, if not directed, by the fertile brain of a notorious negro of doubtful moral character.
"The directors of your Poor Funds profess to be the only true friends of the true white man of the South. By a "true white man of the South" you mean a man who is willing to show his breadth of vision by fraternizing occasionally with negroes.
"An army of lickspittles have begun to hang on the coat-tails of your dispensers of alms. Their methods are always the same. They attempt to attract the notice of the Northern distributors by denouncing men of my type who are earnestly, fearlessly and reverently trying to face and solve the darkest problem the centuries have presented to America. These little beggars have begun to vie with one another not only in denouncing the leaders of public opinion in the South, but in fulsome and disgusting fawning at the feet of the individual negro whose personal influence dominates these Funds."
Again the lavender socks moved uneasily.
"In which category you place the author of a certain book, I suppose?"
inquired the professor.
"I paused in the hope that you might not miss my meaning," Norton replied, smiling. "The astounding power for the debas.e.m.e.nt of public opinion developing through these vast corruption funds is one of the most sinister influences which now threatens Southern society. It is the most difficult of all to meet because its protestations are so plausible and philanthropic.
"The Carpetbagger has come back to the South. This time he is not a low adventurer seeking coin and public office. He is a philanthropist who carries hundreds of millions of dollars to be distributed to the "right"
men who will teach Southern boys and girls the "right" ideas. So far as these "right" ideas touch the negro, they mean the ultimate complete acceptance of the black man as a social equal.
"Your chief spokesman of this New Order of Carpetbag, for example, has declared on many occasions that the one thing in his life of which he is most proud is the fact that he is the personal friend of the negro whose influence now dominates your dispensers of alms! This man positively grovels with joy when his distinguished black friend honors him by becoming his guest in New York.
"With growing rage and wonder I have watched the development of this modern phenomenon. I have fought you with sullen and unyielding fury from the first, and you have proven the most dangerous and insidious force I have encountered. You profess the loftiest motives and the highest altruism while the effects of your work can only be the degradation of the white race to an ultimate negroid level, to say nothing of the appalling results if you really succeed in pauperizing the educational system of the South!
"I expected to hear from your crowd when the movement for a white ballot was begun. Through you the society of Affiliated Black League Almoners of the South, under the direction of your inspired negro leader, have sounded the alarm. And now all the little pigs who are feeding on this swill, and all the hungry ones yet outside the fence and squealing to get in, will unite in a chorus that you hope can have but one result--the division of the white race on a vital issue affecting its purity, its integrity, and its future.
"The possible division of my race in its att.i.tude toward the Negro is the one big danger that has always hung its ugly menace over the South. So long as her people stand united, our civilization can be protected against the pressure of the Negro"s growing millions. But the moment a serious division of these forces occurs the black man"s opportunity will be at hand. The question is, can you divide the white race on this issue?"
"We shall see, major, we shall see," piped the professor, fumbling his lavender tie and bowing himself out.
The strong jaw closed with a snap as Norton watched the silk hose disappear.
CHAPTER III
HIS HOUSE IN ORDER
Norton knew from the first that there could be no hope of success in such a campaign as he had planned except in the single iron will of a leader who would lead and whose voice lifted in impa.s.sioned appeal direct to the white race in every county of the state could rouse them to resistless enthusiasm.
The man who undertook this work must burn the bridges behind him, ask nothing for himself and take his life daily in his hands. He knew the state from the sea to its farthest mountain peak and without the slightest vanity felt that G.o.d had called him to this task. There was no other man who could do it, no other man fitted for it. He had the training, bitter experience, and the confidence of the people. And he had no ambitions save a deathless desire to serve his country in the solution of its greatest and most insoluble problem. He edited the most powerful organ of public opinion in the South and he was an eloquent and forceful speaker. His paper had earned a comfortable fortune, he was independent, he had the training of a veteran soldier and physical fear was something he had long since ceased to know.
And his house was in order for the event. He could leave for months in confidence that the work would run with the smoothness of a clock.
He had sent Tom to a Northern university which had kept itself clean from the stain of negro a.s.sociations. The boy had just graduated with honor, returned home and was at work in the office. He was a handsome, clean, manly, straight-limbed, wholesome boy, the pride of his father"s heart, and had shown decided talent for newspaper work.
Andy had long since become his faithful henchman, butler and man of all work. Aunt Minerva, his fat, honest cook, was the best servant he had ever known, and Cleo kept his house.
The one point of doubt was Cleo. During the past year she had given unmistakable signs of a determination to fight. If she should see fit to strike in the midst of this campaign, her blow would be a crushing one. It would not only destroy him personally, it would confuse and crush his party in hopeless defeat. He weighed this probability from every point of view and the longer he thought it over the less likely it appeared that she would take such a step. She would destroy herself and her child as well.
She knew him too well now to believe that he would ever yield in such a struggle. Helen was just graduating from a convent school in the Northwest, a beautiful and accomplished girl, and the last thing on earth she could suspect was that a drop of negro blood flowed in her veins. He knew Cleo too well, understood her hatred of negroes too well, to believe that she would deliberately push this child back into a negroid h.e.l.l merely to wreak a useless revenge that would crush her own life as well. She was too wise, too cunning, too cautious.
And yet her steadily growing desperation caused him to hesitate. The thing he dreaded most was the loss of his boy"s respect, which a last desperate fight with this woman would involve. The one thing he had taught Tom was racial cleanness. With a wisdom inspired and guided by the brooding spirit of his mother he had done this thoroughly. He had so instilled into this proud, sensitive boy"s soul a hatred for all low a.s.sociation with women that it was inconceivable to him that any decent white man would stoop to an intrigue with a woman of negro blood. The withering scorn, the unmeasured contempt with which he had recently expressed himself to his father on this point had made the red blood slowly mount to the older man"s face.
He had rather die than look into this boy"s clean, manly eyes and confess the shame that would blacken his life. The boy loved him with a deep, tender, reverent love. His keen eyes had long ago seen the big traits in his father"s character. The boy"s genuine admiration was the sweetest thing in his lonely life.
He weighed every move with care and deliberately made up his mind to strike the blow and take the chances. No man had the right to weigh his personal career against the life of a people--certainly no man who dared to a.s.sume the leadership of a race. He rose from his desk, opened the door of the reporters" room and called Tom.
The manly young figure, in shirt sleeves, pad and pencil in hand, entered with quick, firm step.
"You want me to interview you, Governor?" he said with a laugh. "All right--now what do you think of that little scrimmage at the mouth of the harbor of Santiago yesterday? How"s that for a Fourth of July celebration?
I ask it of a veteran of the Confederate army?"
The father smiled proudly as the youngster pretended to be taking notes of his imaginary interview.