The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1889-01-06

The COlored Politicians Ideas on tie Sub
ject of the Negro Problem.
Philadelphia North American.

The COlored POLITICIANS Ideas on TIE sud-
ject of the Negro Problem.
Philadelphia North American.
my solution of what is termed the negro
problem would be this" said Frederick
Douglass at the meeting of the Pennsyl-
yania Society for Promoting the Abolition
of Slavery, at Association Hall, last even
ing. Give the negro fair play and let him
alone. You are always wanting TO do some
thing that has played the devil with the
negro. Give him fair play and let him
alone--and be sure that you give him fair
play. Don't form your trade-unions against
him and stuff the ballot-boxes. That's not
giving him fair play"
IF you see him on his way to Congress
let him alone. 1T the negro can stand
Congress, Congress ought TO be able TO
stand the negro.
'.If you see him going into the workshop
or school, let him alone. If he falls, let him
fall, If he survives, let him survive"
The voice of the well-kpown colored ora
tor was rather husky from a severe cold,
but that did not detract from the eloquence
of his language and delivery. In beginning
his address Mr.. Douglass said:
Il have listened to several addresses this
afternoon and evening in this hall, and
they all have taken one side of the ques-
ton. / don't blame nv friends for bring
ing forward the hopeful side of the ques-
ton. And yet think we ought 10 look at
all sides of the changes that have taken
place. My friends have looked at the
changes from a religious view. look at 1t
from political standpoint.
Il tell you that slavery still exists In the
Southern States, i was talking to a colored
man down South some time ago. His
clothes were poor and ragged. / asked why
that was. He said TO me:
why, Mr.. Douglass, the highest wages
that are paid on any plantation In Georgia
or North or South Carolina are eight dol
lars month. We have TO feed and clothe
ourselves on that. But this is not the
hardest part of it, Mr.. Douglass. We never
see dollar that we can call our own from
one years end to another. We are not paid
with money. We are given tickets and or
ders on stores for the amount of our
wages
Douglass that these orders are very often
given on stores that are owned by the same
man that the plantation belongs 10. The
poor negroes are made TO pay double for
everything they eat and wear, and at tho
end of the year they are sure to find that
they are in debt to their master.
They are obliged 10 work on those terms
| They never have any money 10 go else
where If they say anything their masters
say to them, Go and starve.,
This state of things will always exist
until it is made a criminal offense TO pay
| for the labor of man In anything else
| than honest money!
The orator kept his audience convulsed
with laughter at times with his jokes and
anecdotes. and then he would move them 10
tears with some pathetic description. Dur
ing the course of his remarks he said:
"A colored man asked me if should like
place in the Cabinet. i said no. l know
what am good for. To tell you the trpth
among cannon balls if went into the Cab
| met. would not like that. alwaysGike
TO be the biggest man in the puddle Yhex-
| ever a1a"