Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1890-01-04


institutions Of learning, taught that |
he wal nothing, born inferior, |
incapable Of advancement and
cursed by the ALMIGHTY, it is
not surprising that to-day stand
ing in his majesty as citizen.
voter and a taxpayer with
sheathed sword, which shows
signs of having been bathed in
blood in defense Of his adopted
country he claims that he has been
held back in the race of life and
demands all Of the rights and
privileges accorded any other cit
izen. Has he advanced since his
advent in this countryf He has,
but you deserve no credit for it.
The charges we have made were
the weights with which you loaded
him in order to prevent the very
advancement Of which you now
boast as one of the results of
slavery.
The Negro did not advance on
account ofslavery but in spite of
it. No reasonable man in the light
OF the Negroes progress since 1865
will claim that previous to that
date he reached the highest plane
Of civilization of which he is cap
BILE. The idea is
see. The Negro had no instStu
ticus of learning. manned by presi-
dents and professors Of color He
has them now. He had no LAWYERS
doctors, theOlogians, scientists, an
thors, editors, druggists, inve ntors.
business men, accredited represen.
tatlyes to foreign countries, mem
oers OF Congress, Legislators.
commonwealth-attorneys, sheriffs.
He has them now. He had
no insurance companies, banks
OF deposit, newspapers, building
and loan associations, fine church
and society edifices, money invest
ed ia government bonds. He has
them now. We had placed you on
the list, sir, Of ordinary Bourbons.
If you insist upon your statements
in view of these facts, petrifcation
has set in and you are beyond all
hope of recovery. He clips the FOL
lowing:
THE only clain the colored man has
made Is that when subjected 60 The
same training, and surrounded by simi
lar Influences he Is the peer, the equal
OF the white man.''-PLANEF.
And says:
IF this be so, we ask why the Negro
In Africa has not developed In all these
years into civilized being; what has be
had there to hold him back but his own
utter incapactty for Development
That is easily asked and easier
answered. The climate has caused
bis lack of progress in the ways of
civilization. Persons nhabitinq
the Torrid Zone are sluggish, semi.
civilized. No better evidence OF
this can be afforded than that
which is a practical illustration
In Africa-the Torrid Zone-
the Negro was uncivilized. In
America.-the Temperate Zone
he has become industrious, thrifty
accumnlative, and progressive
White men who are reared in
Africa, partake of the habits of
the people there, become languid
non-prOgressive, and show retro
gressi0n- A writer has well com.
pared the progress of the Negro in
one country aud lack of it in an.
other to the planting of two good
seeds--One in rich and the other in
worn out soil.
There Is nothing wrong with the
seed, but much wrong with the poor
soil; hence one seed yields rich
harvest and the other a poor one
There is nothing the matter With
the Negro, but all the matter
with the respective localities IN
which you would place him.
"H0w does it happen that the white
race has reached It's present high grade
OF civilization? 1t was not necessary
for IL to come into contact with supe-
rior races
It's surroundings were different
The white race with all of it's boast
ed glory were servile slaves for
1000 years and q part oft is vir-
tuaIiy that way now. It's present
conditioEssMSe by aIosE ta.l....a