The Lafayette advertiser. [volume] (Vermilionville [i.e. Lafayette], La.) 1865-19??, 1890-04-19
THE SOUTHERN PROBLEM,
I From Moth and South"

A IOIu NCI III duu SOulu.
1t is difficult for people in the North
to fully understand or appreciate the
problem with which the South has to
deal at present and the Southeners,
while they fully realize the gravity of
the situation, do not seem to under
stand clearly how to manage it.
Americans as class-North, South,
East, West, are too apt to look upon
legislation as panacea for all the ills
of life, and too often let fine sentiment
outweigh good common sense. The
people of the North waste a great deal
of this fine sentiment on the black
man of the South. TO be sure they
are very slow to admit him into full
and free fellowship in their own
homes, and should he enter into gen.
eral business competition with the
whites he would undoubtedly meet
with cool reception in every North
ern State and town. In fact there
are so few colored people in the North
that there is no possibility to their
erowding the caucasians, and the lat
Ter cannot appreciate the feelings of
their Southern brothers who are strug-
Cling to maintain their ground against
constantly increasing danger of ne
gro domination. We doubt much if
the Northern people, should they be
but to test-would deal more patient
ly or wisely with the problem Of race
supremely than have the men Of the
South, but this is not saying that the
latter have been faultness. The South
erners saw, soon after the close of
hostilities id 1865, that the ravages
made BY war had so thinned their
ranks that it would be necessary for
them to stand by each other to the
bitter end in order to protect them
selves from being overpowered by the
recently liberated and enfranchised
slaves, who, having been kept for gen:
Grafton after generation in ignorance
and servitude, were lily prepared to
exercise their rewly acquired rights.
Unfortunately, however, the Southern
people, instead of treating the matter
as a question of race, made it a ques
ton Of politics: They looked upon al
Northerners as negro lovers and erro.
neousiy judging that every person who
came from the North would become
nm alIv of the black man, they frown.
ed upon the Importation Of Northern
people and Northern capital, and they
often made it extremely. uncomfort
able, not to say dangerous, for the
immigrants who sought a home in
their midst. Thus for years the door;
of the South were practically closae
to the people of the North and the
evils which the Southerners sought t,
avert grew stronger instead of weaker
The colored race increased numerical
" and advanced Intellectually, while
the ranks Of the whites were depleted
by the destruction Of active young
/ men who went forth to seek their for
tunes into the great west,. until il
some States the negroes have an actua
majority.
At last, however, the South has be
gun to recognize the true state Of at
fairs and it now gives a hearty vel
come to Northern men, Northern en-
lterprise and Northern capital. Their
are left. few fanatics who cry ou
against Yankee immigration becaus
some Of the newcomers may be Re
publicans, but the men of cooT com
mon sense have learned that it is no
a political question with whic Oh the,
have to deal, but great social prob
lem; and the Northeners, no matte
what may be their political affiliations
are still in favor of a white man
government. It is not in white hu
man nature to submit to the domina
ton Of any color, and 50 long as thi
race problem exists the white men o
the South will be practically solid a
against the supremacy Of the blacl
mi They will grant him the righ
fife, liberty and the purs ut OF bar