Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1893-10-16
The Race Question in the South,


In The Forum for October are pre-
sented two rather gloomy pictures Of
the race question in the South, one by
Bishop Haygocd, and the other by
''Bill Arp" Charles \. SMITH. While
both declare themselves hostile to the
criminal jurisprudence administered in
the Courts of "Judgc Lynch" they
both resort to the familiar pleas that
have been offered in excuse for it. In
the opinion of these writer's the @ener-
alton Of negroes that has grown up in
the South since the W compare very
disadvantageously with its predecessor.
Both writers maintain that the negro
of to-day is dishonest, lazy, criminal,
and, when in the presence OF the weak,
brutal A Jealous church-goer, he has
not the faintest conception of Christian
teachings. Most of the southern ne
groes are Methodists or Baptists, and
all believe themselves sure of eternal
salvation. Repentance and remorse
are strangers to them. Not one has
any fear of punishment after death
NOT even the common murderer
on the gallows. He is assured
that he belongs to the chosen
band of which his preacher speaks.
While the coored population Of
the South constitutes very consider
able percentage of its criminals, this
phenomenon is not attributed by these
writers to want of common school ed
ucaton. OF the inmates Of the prisons
of Georgia :, 209 are negroes, Of whom
20 per cent can read and write. The
same number are church members, ana
90 per cent. are under 80 years of age.
Yet the colored people have their full
share of the school fund of the State,
and there are more than 1000 colored
teachers, without counting the colleges
and higher schools.
1t is asserted by both writers that the
relations of the races In the South are
becoming more strained from year TO
year. Where the negroes arei in the ma
| jority they are inSolent toward the
whites. In the rural districts, where
the whites are sparsely settled, they
cannot protect themselves from the ne
groes. 1t is impossible to maintain
schools for white children there, and
those whites who can do so withdraw
to the towns and leave the negroes in
possession of the lands.
Such, in brief outline, is the picture
drawn in these two articles. If 1t be
correct, it shows that the negroes Of
the South have fearfully degenerated IN
condition of freedom. During the civil
war, when nearly all the able-todied
men of the South We're in the army, the
women and children were left on the
plantations in care Of the slaves. In
that period few instances Of violence or
outrage on the part of the blacks were
recorded. Southern planters have
cheerlully borne testimony to their great
fidelity and kindness of disposition in
that crisis. 1t is almost impossible,
therefore, to believe that their nature
has undergone such change under the
influence Of freedom.
The writers agree that some remedy
must be provided for this condition OF
things, else outrages will increase and
end in war of races But they are
not in harmony as to the methods of
relief. "Bill Arp" intimates that too
much is done for the negroes; that the
numerous schools are demoralizing to
them, and that stern laws and repres-
sion would improve their morale. He
is anything but disposed TO applaud and
encourage the generous people OF the
North who spend large sums of money
to educate the southern negroes. Blsh-
op Haygood, on the other hand, seeks
aid in better education, especially in
rearing capable teachers and preachers
of the colored race. He asks for help
from the North, and he does not hesi-
tate to rebuke the spirit that becomes
iniamed only over crimes when com
mitted by negroes. He at the same
time energetically admonishes the
blacks, especially their leaders and
teachers, 10 give no liberation or ex-
cusc for crimes when perpetrated by
their race. The two writers represent
respectively the views that prevail in
the South in regard to the race issue.
Bishop Haygood's position is that
which more rightly accords with rea-
son and humanity. But there is bet
ter reason than either, which treats
the negroes as men endowed with
equal rights without regard to the acci-
dent of color. This is the view of COM
mon sense and of the American consti-
tuition; and if enforced in its true spirit
the race troubles would be mitigated, if
they should o wholly disappear. The
final solution of the problem belongs to
the revolutionary action of time.-Phil-
ddelphia Record.
A COLD of unusual severity developed into
q difficulty decidedly catarrhal in all its char
acteristics, threatening a return of my old
chronic malady, catarrh. One bottle OF Ely S