Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1890-05-31
An Open Letter to the Editors and
Publishers OF the Richmond Dis
patch and the Daily Times.
RICHMOND, Va. May %, 1890.

RICHMOND, Va, May %, 1890.
Gentlemen;
In these days it is very hard to |
teach young men proper respect for |
women. In order TO be at all success
full, we must have slime upon line, and
precept upon precept" we must not on
ly teach men this respect, but we must
respect women ourselves, and strive
to have every one do thesame. This,
many OF the Colored people are try
to do. They teach their young men
that they should respect all women,
and as a sign of respect, they should
address unmarried women as Miss
and married ones as Mrs. Not that
these titles make women better, but
because they show that users are
gentlemen, and in this instance, at
least, have been properly trained.
We find our task hard work at least,
and it is especially hard, since your
| papers teach those of our young men
and women, who read them Impo-
likeness, by presistently refusing to
use any titles of respect in speaking
of our women. In weakening the re
| spect of cOlored men for colOred wO-
men, you weaken their respect for all
women, and you SOW seeds in the
minds of young colored men, and in
the minds of young white men as
well, which viii eventually ripen into
rude and disrespectful conduct to-
wards the women of all races. The
man who respects a colored woman,
viii be more than apt TO respect a
white woman, and vice versa.
Again, in articles which appeared
in your papers few months ago it
was said well and wisely, that no race
can be anything, until it learns to
respect itself. That is Just what we
believe, and for that very reason we
are doing all that we can to teach
our sons and daughters respect and
love for themselves, and their race,
but here also your papers are destroy
ing what we are trying TO build up;
for in speaking of the Negro race
your papers, land many others), in
varably spell the word Negro with q
small letter; this is in violation tC
all laws of Rhetoric, and in violation
{ of the principle which you advocate
You use the capitals in spelling the
name, of all other races; in speaking
of the Indian you always spell thu
) name with a capital.
The Negro alone in this country
, Out-number the Indians ten to one
The Negroes have done more for tn
good of this country in the last q
$ years, than all of the Indians durin,
e the last $50 years. The Negroes ar
more nearly civilized than the In
dians; the Negroes in this countr,
are worth more in property and cas-
than the Indians; the Negroes ar
the friends of the White man, Will
the Indians are his enemy, and yet
7 in speaking of this race-your enc
mics, you treat it with more respec
than you do the Negroes, your friends
Why this violation of all laws G
}: Rhetoric; why this outrage of a
y sense of propriety: why this tramp
}. ling of the weak by the strong
= Have Virginia Editors and news ps
n per publishers lost their sense of hor
: or and chivalry? Chivalry consis
Is in respecting women ard protectin
d the weak. The Biblerule is, eye tha
it are strong bear the infirmities of til
j. weak"
l. We are confident that if you gel
= tlemen possess the genuine old vi
d ginia sense of honor and chivalr,
1t that you are believers in respect fC
women and protection for ii
Sc weak, and that you are willing I
j. obey Gods word, and willing to he
er us in our struggle to teach our Sol
3 and daughters respect for women
every race, and love and respect T,
S. themselves and for their race. TIL
s, you can do. (and we hope you will d,
t, by speaking of our unmarried W
men as Miss, and our married WON,
tn as Mrs, and by using a capital lett
ep in printing the word Negro.
M Yours truly,