The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1877-05-31
THE NEGRO PROBLEM.

1hE ASO
Correspondence N Y Church journal (Episco-
pal
We are in Louisiana, surrounded
with semi rapidly re-
lapsing into total one. And this
heathenism has been seized for politi
cal purposes by that vile development,
of natural selections, the American
politician and has been assidiously
taught to suspect and distrust any
white influence upon it except it be
political.
The standing problem in Louisiana,
in South Carolina, and some other
States, is the negro problem. Since
emancipation, and the committal of
the negro to the law of supply and
demand natural selection and 'the
survival of the fttesi,' the race has
sadly deteriorated. They have been
arrayed by politicians against the
white people, and encouraged 10 con-
slider them their natural enemies
They are rapidly relapsing into bar
barism, and are the class of criminals,
petty thieves house-breakers, and the
rest in our cities and country neigh
borhoods. Unless something be done
for them and with them they are DOOM
ed TO extinction. The circumstances
which have made them of interest SO
far are temporary and political. The
circumstances are rapidly changing,
indeed have almost passed away, and
the outlook for the race thrown on the
charities for forbearsncc of the South
ern people after having been debauch-
ed and rendered WORTHLESS by low pol
iticians, is not very promising.
More and more white labor is TAX
ing the place of black. The planting
class and all employing labor are en-
couraging the incoming of white men,
naturally and properly, toe, o,and the ne.
gro, dropped by the politician when
he has no further use for him, will be
driven TO the wall by the mere laws of
business and industry. The race has
some excellent qualities, but in the
struggle for existence it must be
crowded out by the AnglO-Saxon, who
is meyer very considerate TO weaker
races. except when he is far away from
them. But here, for the present, is the
negro, and now that the politicians
are about dropping him as factor in
the making of Presidents, it remains
to be seen whether Christianity will
take him up. l confess for myself a
great interest in him. He is capable
of creating strong attachments. lie
has strong attachments himself. But
1 can not help forebodings. Our
treatment of inferior races has been q
blunder always. We have mercilessly
exterminated the Indian, and justice
or forbearance for the poor remains of
his tribe is scarcely prOcurable.
Our kindness is nearly as disastrous
az our cruelty. We insist on it that
all races are capable of the same con-
ditions as our own. In freeing the
negro rs we did, we did good thing
for him had he been an enterprising,
ambitious Yankee. But not being an
enterprising or ambitious Yankee, but
an indolept, ignorant and semi-civiliZ-
ed negro, we cast him loose to sink
or swim, survive or perish in social
life, where ignorance, laziness, lack OF
self.assertion and self-control stand
no chance in the competition for the
means OF life. lie is his own master
now, and e.must prosper according
ly. But not content with thus turning
him loose to live or die, we encourag.
ell set of disreputabIe politicians to
ALLEVIATE him, for the sake Of his vote'
from the white that must employ
him. and help him if he is to be helped,
until he stands as an alien, and All
enemy in the place Of his birth. These
last creatures haying got through with
him, are now leaving him.