Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1881-09-21
CLEARFIELp, Pa.
AN INTERESTING PROBLEM.

midst, connected with the industrial
economy of the nation, and necessary
for the production of some of our most
important crops. He can no moro be
taken out Of the country by coloniza.
ton than can the Indian Attempts
have been made in that direction-at-
tempts stimulated by genuine philan.
thropy and benevolence-but they
have produced very Insignificant re-
suits. Tho Indian will remain on the
soil OF this Continent until his race
passes away; and the negro's future is
indissolubly connected with the hlsto.
ry of the land in which he now walks
as a freeman.
As the negro is permanent fixture
here, pertinent question arises What
part will he be able to take in the fu.
ture development of the country ?
Since the termination of the late civil
war he passed into new condition,
and for that change he was totally un.
prepared by habit, custom, education
or natural ability Neither the indi.
vidual negro nor bis race has ever per-
formed great deeds. He has not shown
capacity for molding his fortunes. He
has never manifested comprehension
Of those great laws which stimulate
and control national or individual pro.
gress. The savage tribes of the North
who plowed Rome and narrowed
Greece contained in their individual
members and in their several national.
tiles those elements of advancement
which enabled them to appropriate
what was good and grand and noble
in the systems of the countries which
they subdued and settled, and thus
soon became part of the body polite,
Not so the negro. He has not in his
nature that element by which the laws
and literature, all the social habits and
refined and clevating customs OF a
country are appropriated by indiviI.
uals or races, and both raised in the
scale OF nationality, Africa stands to.
day where she stood when the Goths
and Huns first put foot upon the soil
of Southern Europe. The negro IS the
same. His decents are bondmen still
in all the elements Of dependence
which constitute essential slavery.
Yet the descendants of the hardy saw
ages of the North are among the lords
of the earth, and their brain is giving
laws and their stout arms are furnish.
ing physical energy to the whole white
race.
This is the history OF the negro when
compared with that of the white man.
Still he has his sphere Of usefulness,
and his future in this country may bo
made productive of good to himself
and the white race if calm judgment
and broad philanthropy, not passion
and party prejudice, are allowed to
lead tho movement for his advance.
ment. Tho condition of the negro
cannot be made better by innamma.
tory appeals to his passions and ad-
dresses calculated to widen the breach
between him and the white race. The
latter Is and always will be the gov.
erning element in this Republic. The
white man will mako the laws and
shape the social customs of the coun.
try, and if the negro is to be bettered
in his new condition it must be by the
efforts of the white man. In this con.
nection we are glad to chronicle the
fact that the best men Of the Southern
States are speaking TO the negroes
with good sense and honest irankness
in regard to the future that is before
them. The future of the negro dc.
pends largely upon the white men Of
the Southern States. In proportion
as they are willing to educate, counsel
and guide the dependent race will the
latter advance and be useful to the
nation. The men of the North have
proven that they do not understand
the negroes Of the South, and if they
did they are partially disqualified by
their temper to guide the tottering
footsteps OF the ireemen in that path
which, properly pursued, would lead
them to comfort and happiness, While
therefore, they cannot or will not aid
in the true elevation of the negro, lei
them not hinder those who are at.
tempting to prepare him for a future
beneficial alike to the white man, the
negro and the Baltimore Ga.
rette.