Arkansas State Press

OUR OPINION
Mr. Faubus Was Right . . .
We Were Wrong - : We Apologize

We never did think we would have to apologize for advising our people to not vote for segregation. We were laboring under the assumption that Governor Orval Faubus was entirely out of line when he stated that "eighty-five per cent of the people in Arkansas wanted segregation", but judging from the support Negroes who assumed the role of leaders gave him in support of his bias platform for re-election, the idea hit home that Negro big-wigs wanted segregation.

The nomination of Governor Faubus, and the credit Negroes take for helping in his nomination, prove beyond a doubt, that white people can use Negroes in any manner that is convenient to them . . . . even to the point of enslaving them.

We never put much weight in the logic Negro leaders used as a defense for their support of an avowed segregationist. They supported Governor Faubus, they say, because he was the "lesser of the evil". Faubus, as the other major candidates. pledged himself -- .as a matter of fact.
See OUR OPINION—page four
OUR OPINION

Continued from page one

was the FIRST candidate, to the segregation of the races, and the continuation of second class citizenship for the Negro, even to the defiance of the United States Supreme Court. Therefore, regardless to whom was nominated, the Negro was subjected to the same treatment. There was no avenue in which to escape. We advised our people to be loyal to themselves and not compromise their votes since they would be in the category anyway the trend went. We took the attitude that since a man was condemned to be hanged, it would be foolish for him to furnish the rope. We could not see where it would make too much difference to him who pulled the rope.

Now, we are sorry. We apologize . . . reluctantly - - we still think their logic used in as their defense in voting for the continuation of segregation, made as much sense as the man who was going thru the forest on a very dark nite. He had two matches, and lost one of them. He lighted the other match to look for the one he lost.

The State Press is dedicated to integration of the Negro in every phase of community activity in the American way of life • : NOT SOUTHERN day, and it is the only paper published in Arkansas with an announced program. It stands for honesty, justice, and fairplay, and STANDS behind what it stands for, and there was no other course this paper could pursue during the preferential primary. since all the candidates in the gubernatorial contest were self-professed segregationists, but to advise its readers to go to the polls and vote for deserving candidates, and scratch every candidate in the race who had sworn to use the power of his office to keep the Negro down. Since the paper's stand offended the Negro intelligentsia, we reiterate, "We're Sorry, and We Apologize."