The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1890-06-16
THE NEGRO QUESTION.

n D.
The following, from the Wadley (Ga.)
Herald, was written by H. NJ Williams, a
colored man of Wadley: "Much has been,
is being and will be said, thought and
written upon the question which seems to
be paramount to all others-the negro ques-
ton. Having looked deeply into the mat
ter and viewed it from both sides, have
been forced, as l believe, to correct solu-
ton.
in the first place, the negroes are the
cause of great many Of their own diff
cuties. They place too much confidence In
their so-called political leaders.
Again, the negro cannot be made satisfied.
For instance, let him be farmer, or better
still, let him be a tenant on a white mans
plantation or a contract hand. Well, he
starts out at the first of the year under very
favorable auspices. The time comes in a
few days for John to begin working and
eating. He goes to the white man, his boss,
and the book Of credit is opened. John be-
gins slowly at first to take up now a little
faster; still faster and faster until he
plunges head over heels into the abyss of
debt. At the end of the year cometh judg-
ment (settlement) day. John is all ex-
pectant. Between doubt and fear he goes
to the Judgment seat (his boss desk or
merchants counter) TO hear his doom. The
book again opens; he sees black marks
against him on four or five pages John
trembleS in his knees, still he hopes that he
will clear something. Imagine his chagrin
when he hears the judge (hls boss or mer-
chant cry out in deep bass voice:
'Naught's naught and niue's a nine, there
are three more bales of cotton behind
John breaks down completely goes home
packs his bundle and hits the grit to the
nearest big town and there he will rather
starve than live with that white man. He
accidentally runs across some ward politi-
clan in the city who likes to talk about out
RACES committed upon the poor cullud
farmer as the phrase goes John is spec
tator, and helps the speaker up by telliug
him he was robbed by the white man for
whom he worked last year. The negro re-
porter hears the pitiable ~ story, puts in
bold faced type the head lines and the re-
malnder iii BREWER, so that he who runs
may read The northern press copies the
lie and taunts the south unjustly. All this
Is wrong. John has given the white man a
bad name when he is innocent.
Again, the negro thinks that the whites
OF the south are their vowed enemies. Not
SO. They are our staunchest friends. Let
negro be half respectable and get in any
trouble, who comes to his rescue at once?
Inc southern white man. If he is naked,
destitute, etc, who relieves him? The
southern white man Yes, when the negro
Shall have reached that stage of conception
where he can see who his friends are, then
the question will be settled.
How to settle it-let the white man of
she south continue to mete out justice to all
regardless of race, color or previous condi-
ton OF servitude. Let the negro let politics
alone. But when the time comes to vote
SQDDOrt tha whom "a L-Onvuc To 40
meritorious 1t is merit that wins. Let
the white man be above buying a Negroes
vote. Let the negro be above selling it to
nam. Let the white man quit using whisky
10 influence the negro vote. Let the negro
refuse to drink it for that purpose. Let the
conservative white men and colored men
unite IN each city, county, town and state
LOT the suppression of vice and crime
within its borders. Let the northern
press cease its abuse Of the south. Let the
south cease to abuse the north by throwing
into her face social equality. for there is
NOT an Intelligent negro in this southland
VINO would have it even if it was
forthcoming. We don't want it. Let
congress abstain from meddling with
the elections in the south. For in its zeal %
70 help the negro it rather cripples him more
90 sure as that federal election bill passes,
30 sure viii the negro question be more
olffcu!t to answer. Let the white men who
own large plantations cut them up in small
ones and sell to the negro. Let the negro
thereon go to work. be economical, pay
tor 1t and your part of the question is
settled.
The settlement in nutshell: Negroes,
get education, money, property; be honest,
moral, cody, sober and industrious. Above
al, stop selling your race to the white man.
ror white man never watches the man
upon whom the tale is told, but he strictly
watches the tale-bearer.
WI bite friends: Treat the negro humane
~ sympathize with him more, and in a
lew years you will have a peasantry OF
,%hlch foreign climes will be envious.
ours, for peace between the races"