Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1888-12-17
THE NEGRO PROBLEM.
Ex-Minister Curry Discussed It in q Way
that Surprised Georgia Legislators.

Atlanta Special to the New York Sun, Dec. a.
The Georgia legislature was yesterday treated
to genuine surprise. In response to joint
resolution, the Hon. ]. L. NJ. Curry, late min
lister to Spain, addressed the legislature on
education. He was introduced by President
Du Bignon. The part Of his speech which at
tracted so much attention was as follows:
II want to say to you, in perfect frankness,
that the man who thinks the negro problem
has been settled is either fanatic or a fool. I
stand aghast at the problem. I don't believe
civilization ever encountered one Of greater
magnitude. 1t casts dark shadow over your
churches, your government of the future. It Is
| a great problem which viii tax your energies.
Georgia was once Shermanized. Georgia. with
the south Africanized as it may be, would be q
thousand times worse than Shermanized. But
You may make the outlook as black as pos
sible, and yet say that ignorance and poverty
are not remedies for the situation. Better
have them cultivated, better have them in
telligent preachers. intelligent industry, i'm
and pauperize, or humanize, civilize, and
Christianize? / leave it to you to settle the
problem. There are people who say this
ought to be white mans government. /
am not prepared to contest that proposition,
but beg you to remember that the negroes,
and am glad of it, have friends at the north
who are befriending them. But they are not
coming to your relief You must help your
selves If You are helped at all know that the
indications are prophetic Of race conflict.
God save us from it. know that dark shadows
Of the future are flung across our pathway. 1t
Is idle to shut your eyes. 1t is better to meet
such dangers half way, even though they come
no further. Now, there is nothing per Sc in
white skin unless behind that skin lie the
hereditary experiences of centuries OF good
II I'm fhaf ba
has no invention, no discovery. no law, no lit
erature, no government, no civilization. WhyP
If you put the Caucasian under the same en-
vironment, and keep him there ten or twenty
centuries. there will be no invention, no SCIENCE
nor discovery, nor history, nor civilization
among Caucassians. Your ancestors and mine
a few years ago were cannibals and pagans
They have become what they are, not by virtue
OF white skin, but by improving government
and good laws. You let the negro children
get an education where yours do not, let the
negro be superior to you in culture and
property, and you will have black mans gov
eminent. Improvement, cultivation, educa-
ton Is the secret the condition, and guarantee
of race supremacy. will astonish you, per-
haps, by saying that if the negro develops and
becomes in culture, property, and civilization
superior to the white man, the negro ought to
rule. You see to it that he does not become SO.
The responsibility is with YOU
Do Sun Spots Affect the Great Lakes?
From the Rochester Democrat.
During the sun-spot maximum of 1881
1856 the great lakes were at very high levels.
Ontario's waters were so high as to submerge
docks at Irondequoit bay. During the present
sun-spot minimum the lake is low. This year
the lake is two feet lower than it was last year.
Capt. Palfrey, of the United States engineers,
made statement of the present low condition
of the lake before the chamber of commerce
Monday evening.
The Democrat and Chronicle called attention
to the high water in connection with maximum
sun spots during the maximum. During the
high water lake storms were very destructive.
Their force was increased by the solar activity
and the waves reached further, eating into the
bluffs Of the south shore, causing serious dam
age to property at many points. Several build
ings were undermined at Sea Breeze and the
tracks of the Rome, Watertown and Ogdens-
burgh railway were encroached upon for a long
distance west of Sea Breeze.
A gentleman residing in Perry states that
Silver lake is now so low as to cause serious
alarm. The outlet has dried up, and the sur
plus waters are discharged by evaporation
alone. Silver lake follows the general rule Of
a periodicity in high and low water, corre-
spending with the sun-spot maximum and
minimum.