Saturday press. [volume] (Honolulu, H.I.) 1880-1885, 1884-11-22


EDITOR SATURDAY PREss-Sf, With
ems ncipltion and the close Of the great civil
war it was generally believed, I think, that
sooner or later, the negro would become
useful and harmonious element in the body
politics, hut judging from the tone and facts in
notable articles in two Of our leading maya.
North American Review and The
Atlantic Monthly very different view is
taken Of this subjec, and the one in the first
named journal, by Professor f. c. Gilman
especially attempts to prove that the contin
ued presence Of the negro in the United States
threatens the most disastrous social disorders.
This paper briefly cpitomized, first notes the
prevailing views in regard to the progress Of
races. One view is that all enlightened ma.
tons were once savages, and have gradually
reached their present states by external and
internal uplifting causes, the beneh, of this
VENTS given to the African. Intellectually
the negro is improving, and shows a better
percentage in the past decade than the
whites in education, he has generally gone
forward in the great progress recently made in
the South, but this is provisional, for he is
still efficient in providence, and has not gained
morally. His increase doubles that Of the
Northern, is one third more than the South.
etn white This tendency and percentage
foreshadows, eighty years hence, 90, ooo, 900
negroes to &c, 900, 900 whites in the South, but
not with proportionate gain in wealth and
education, and decrease in morals. Also
that this race will remain an alien one and the
color line will be more marked by time. Ut
required a century for the Saxon and Norman
to coalescc with fewer reasons for not mixing.
The highest ambition Of the negro is genuine
recognized equality. This is denied him but
he is not denied gaining political power by mum.
beers and asserting this equality. If the whites
refuse 10 submit they must either remain &c
struggle and be finally overcome by numbers
or will have to gradually seek another home
leaving an African south. The remedy pro
posed by Professor Gilman is the return Of tn,
African to Africa, either voluntarily or by com
pulsion
The A,lantic's article, by Prof. n. s. Shaler
is more hopeful Of the final issue and deal
more in a sentimental and humane view Of III,
subject. He regards the question as verygrav'
one however. lie notes the disastrous failur
Of the negro in civilization in Hayti and ia
maica where he has been given the chance
but thinks that, though the experience sine
the war in the United States covers too shor
period to base very sound opinions upon
still it gives hope that the negro will at leas
escape the sloth that fell upon him after eman
cipation in the islands named He regards
as clear that the inherited qualities of the ne
groes unfit them for carrying on the burden {
our own civilization and that-hey cannot &c
many generations be brought to the level Of uc
own people. There is, he says, great DANCE
Of the negro race in the South falling to tn
bottom Of society," and forming..a politarat SC
ciety--separated by blood and estate from tn
superior class and so bring about the evi
incident to slavery. Heobserves two changes g
ing on ,one the rapid reduction Of the.mulattt
another grea, destruction by death, from vic
and want of care, of the poorer strains Of negi
blood There is some hope, he thinks, b
thoughtful training in civilization throug
technical schools, of fitting, the negro to FIN
room in our society.
Attached to Prof. Shalcr's paper are not
by Gen. S. c. Armstrong, formerly Of the
islands, but now of the Hampton Institut
Virginia, by Ex. Gov. Chamberlain Of Sou
Carolina, by Col. T. w. Higginson and
the editor, all more hopeful in tone for the n
gro's future than Professor Shaler.
b.