The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1884-08-07
ARP AND THE NEGRO.
lie Believes In the Growing Power Of the
Race.

I was riding along Oh the railroad the
other day, when we stopped at q station
and colored "scurshion" got on and
settled down all around me. They were
we'll dressed and we'll behaved, but when
the conductor came along after tickets
Two Of. them had no tickets and no
money. He stopped the train in the
woods and put them off. I was sorry for
the rascals, for they did want to go so
bad. I asked some of the crowd why
they dident lend them some money, and
they showed their pearly teeth and said:
owe knows dem niggers; dey nebber
pay back. Dem nigger's like broke
bank-dey owes everybody now. Dey
just tryin' to slip and slide along, tink
de conductor no find 'em. You know,
boss, dar is always some sheep among de
goats" Well, there are, and sometimes
| think the darky expressed it right,
though he dident mean it. There are
power of goats in this sublunary world,
and if it was not for few sheep scatter.
ed, society and law and order would be
in bad fix.
But I like the niger. l like lin
better than did ten years ago. I can
look back and remember what he was
soon after the war, and am satisfied he
is improving. He works better and is
more respectful. He has almost quit
politics and settled down to his natural
condition. I don't know so we'll about
the towns and cities, but the country
niggers are doing very we'll where they
are mixed up with white folks in the
right proportion. Most all negroes are
good natured, and love to depend on the
white man, but the white man must treat
them fairly and kindly, and act like he
was not only q master but friend. The
negro is conscious of his inferiority and
is content with it. he likes man who
orders him around in dignifed way
better than a man who puts himself on
an equality with him. The white man
was born to command and the negro
knows it. The white man ranks him,
and rank is thing recognized and sub
mitted to everywhere, and has been in
all ages, and it is right. Rank is the
safeguard of the social circle. / rank
some folks and some folks rank me, and
we are all happier and feel more at ease
in our circles than in those above US. I
was once invited to a party in fashion
able city, and there were distinguished
gentlemen there and splendid ladies, and
I put on my very best behavior, and after
while lady friend called me out on tho
varandah and laugingly told me that the
hostess, a lovely and accomplished lady.
said to her: ooh, my dear, l do feel so
much relieved, for dident know Mr..
Arp and was afraid he was rough and
common, and wouldent know how to
behave in this elegant company, but I
find him to be perfect gentleman"
You see they ranked me and I knew it,
but I came out pretty we'll. When told
Mrs. Arp about it she said: "Well, I
don't wonder at it, for you write 80 much
foolishness the people who don't know US
think ne are all crackers" Then she
looked away off, and added: "But I
don't care. 1 know whatyou are, and it's
nobody's business. We can have gentle
men here as we'll as there. Some folks
don't know gentleman when they see
him." "But you do, my dear," said I.
"You always did. You had that knowl.
edge away back yonder, and that is the
reason you-"
"Never mind that now" said she;
"that will do. The best Of US are mis-.
taken sometimes" And she resumed
her work.
The negro is good invention, and he
will continue to be good as long as he is
q negro. When they try to set him up
with hifalutin education and make a
white man of him, he becomes new
creature and a public nuisance. The
colored colleges are turning out smart
set every year, but where are they and
what are they doing. The men are vaga.
bonds, and the women are-well, ask
anybody who knows. A man said to me
not long ago that the fact that the negro
was capable of high order Of education
was proof enough that they ought to have
it. There was an educated hog exhibited
in Rome some years ago, and he could
spell your name with cards, and tell the
time of day On watch. So I suppose
we ought to set up all the hogs III
school house.
Now, the negro is a distinct creation of
the Almighty, and has original traits and
instincts as all the mixed nations have.
He loves the present good, aud has no
morbid desire to accumulate riches.
Unlike the white man he rarely cheats
or swindles anybody. Cheating, swind-
ling, overreaching, deceiving is the sin
of our race-the foundation of all the
civil suits in our courts-but the negroes
don't do it. They are more SHINING
against than SHINING in that regard. The
white man will steal on large scale if
he is mean enough to steal at all. The
more he gets the better satisfied he is.
But the negro wont. He wouldent rob q
bank. If he found pocketbook with
big roll of money in it he would take it
to some white man but he will pick up
little things like chicken, or bushel of
corn, or dollar, or a breastpin with 3
serene and peaceful conscience. Small
pilfering is the extent of his capacity
aud the extent of his inclination. When
nv darky finds hens nest and brings
me half the eggs I thank him. When
our cook hides away little -four Mrs.
Arp shuts her eyes and Gays nothing, for
| it hurts their feelings so bad to be accus-
ed when they are guilty.
But for hard work, contented work,
humble work, who could take their places
on the farms and on the drays, and the
steamboats, and the railroads? Who
would do the white mans bidding with
SO little murmuring and so much cheer
fulness? The negro is still an important
factor in our southern homes and south
ern industries, and hope he will remain.
He is grated on to the southern tree.
Other nations have been transplanted,
and live and prosper. The Jews, like
the missletoe, fasten and feed upon every
tree, but they have preserved their hab.
its, their religion and their nationality.
Then let the negro alone. My faith is
that wise Providence will take care of
him and of US.
BILL ARP.