hich, it seems to me, need no discussion,
because the truths in them are self-evident; and yet, so perverse is
the human understanding, that unanimity upon any subject of common
interest is rare in social ethics; and by social ethics I mean the
philosophy of organized government in all of its multifarious life.

How intricate and perplexing these questions are; even the uninitiated
intuitively understand, although they cannot explain them; while
ignorant and learned alike wrangle and often fight over the means to
reach ends upon which there is no disagreement. There is, therefore,
no phase of the Afro-American problem upon the proper solution of
which there is not a substantial agreement among members of the race.
The processes by which the solution shall be reached are the bases of
the disagreements and discussions, which often defeat the common wish
and aim.

"What should be the Afro-American's attitude in politics?" is a
sophomoric, rather than a practical, question. What he should do at a
given crisis is answered by what he has done ever since the right to
vote was conferred upon him by the adoption of the war amendments to
the Federal Constitution. Neither threats, fire, rope, nor bullet has
been powerful enough to swerve him from pursuing the course made
mandatory by his self interests. He may have pursued this course by
the intricate process of reasoning employed by educated men, or of
intuition employed by the unlettered. The fact remains that his
attitude has been one of sympathy and helpfulness towards those who
were unmistakably sympathetic and friendly towards him and as
unmistakably antagonistic and troublesome to those who were
antagonistic to him. With him, as with the rest of mankind,
"self-preservation is the first law of nature." What his attitude in
politics should be now will be what it has been--governed absolutely
by his self interests.

There will be nothing gained in the proper education and comprehension
of the subject under discussion by holding up holy hands of horror at
the statement that selfishness, pure and simple, has governed and will
govern the attitude of the Afro-American in politics. The purists, who
prate of the common interest and loyalty to the flag as the first and
highest duty of the citizen, are entitled to their view of the matter,
but the fact remains and is true of the people of every ancient and
modern government that self-interest will govern the actions of the
voter.