The sun., 1893-06-26
rne DEfonrxrrov or me xEaRo
n Ceserea nrsn.. Repiy .. the Ho,. John
James Inr.ns of Kansas.

haps the best solution OF the difficulty would
be to devise means by which the whole race
may be deported to Africa This extraordi-
nary suggestion. together with the equally
sweeping statements Of Mr. Murat Halstead.
and the latter's proposal that the Fifteenth
Amendment to the Federal Constitution shall
be repealed. has precipitated a discussion OF
the race problem all over the continent.
In his entire article Mr.. ingalls, has not con-
tributed one original idea to the voluminous
discussion. and Mr.. Halstead Is equally barren.
The suggestions that they make have been
shown to be utterly impracticable upon physi-
cal and economic grounds. and have been re-
iected By the patriotism and common sense Of
the people
II is impossible to secure the repeal OF tho
Fifteenth Amendment. because tho necessary
! two-thirds vote ofall the States cannot be So
cured. The question OF representation In Con-
gress and the electoral vote, would be involved
In the movement to repeal The solid South
would vote against repeal without reference to
the opinions Of the electors Of the other States.
who are not confronted with the race problem.
and who could not bo easily persuaded that the
adoption OF that amendment was u mistake. A
majority OF the people would oppose. as retro
grcssive and undemocrat!c, any proposition
which aimed TO put one-siNth OF the popuia-
ton OF tho country in the position OF pariahs.
without caste and without place in the citizen
shr OF the republic 1t ought to be surprising
that eminent Republicans should SO misintcs
pret the sentiments Of the people OF the coun-
try as to advance two such propositions.
1t Is easy enough TO say that the Afro. er-
| lean has been failure as o man and citiZon: :
to say that race prejudice is on the increase: /:
to say that the two races can never live to-
gether upon terms of equality. Tho one as
Il lno a,,lt t,,f
the past; the other ont OF results to mature in
the future. The facts do not Justify the as
| sumption Of failure. They demonstrate the
contrary. The race. as a whole. is vastly SUI
| pcrior to-day to what 1t waswhen Lees sur
| rcnder gave effect to Abraham Lincoln's Eman-
cipation Proclamation 1t produces more
and it consumes more. 1t creates larger
| volume OF wealth and reserves to itself a larger
percentage OF what 1t creates The schools Of
| higher education and the public schools have
| sent out, and are sending out every yaar, thou:
sands OF men AMI women who give tone and
character to the race. The argument so often
advanced that the, way to spoil a, corrtleld
hand is to educate him.. is,truc, to the extent
| remember that in 1910 the co!ored
schools 81 the south were CONDUCTED al
| North. To-day it is almost Impossible,
outside OF academies and colleges. 20 find n
| fessious o! the Law and medicine are very gem
| erallv represented by negroes in every South
Urn CikJ Wuile lIe AIfD-AlntIIcHu munster
the better. IHdeod tho oli-time preacher is
becoming rare object. southern writer's Of
the old time negroes. the uncles aud tho
annties." are passinG away, Let them go. and
"misesses." They have had their day, and a
sad one i, Tas; There are no, now published up,
newspapers. which. while they do not revel in
the goods OF this world. do give So llcient evil
dsnce Of mental activityto lead to the hope of
| m ~ N 80
Mr. IngaiIS and Mr Halstcad and most other
white men bring to the discussion Of the, race
problem a criminal Ignorance OF the facts
Their deductions are usually based upon spec
ulation pure and simple. They forget entirely
eight years in which % demonstrate his capac-
| ity as a man and citizen, lttakes twcnty-ono
| years to makea white citizen man of aifairs ::
| and the state. Of course. the Afro American
made mistakes in using his suffrage privileges.
| Would white men with his experience and o1u-
| shows the contrary.
the Angio-Sn&"n's knack, OF soIf-govern-
ment is the result OF centuries OF revolution
times which has demonstratca ability Tor self.
| has heen OF equally slow and tortuous growth.
| 1t may be natural for him to show impatience
twent eight years mastered the art Of self.
| government and acquired largs wealth. But
is his impotence based upon reason and
| situation bcon complied with. II a respectable
proportion OF the race has shown that ii pos
sosses the mentality and thrift necessary to u
| Succen ns!ul citizenship?
But notwithstanding the fact that white men
have cen turies ~ experience and opportunity
behind them. the perez ntago Of. iliierary and
OF poverty among Ang;9rltAmeriiean, ;rt n i Is wide.
and pa Gs hGnG th
can. with endless ages Of barbarism behind
him and only wonty-eight years Of freedom re-. n
| be understood as pleading tho baby act In Il
community OF men every man should be man.
This 4 the sjmt is a Se,s hG Is fact large
thriftless, and vicious element among Afro
AmoriGansh It is the result Of the siSye odp
not not mo more $50 So Men exempiiy in their lives the
stitute the only thritless and vicious elem ent
OF the population After the terrible restrai ns
Of slavery, were withdrawn, It was natural that
the thriftless and vicious element should as
sert itself Until the memory as well as the
influences Of this slave eXperience have passed
turGing force. We have laws to restrain it.
1t Is only fair to lgy eaua emphasis upon the
lnw.ahidlng people among this population:
that they are respected In the communities in
s aa hs aGy qins
e 6a seats 81 deSaed 5s
the Of sater aad N.Y.
Hand, have cstablIshed industrial depart
NAL and Industrial Institute and the Tuskegee
Normal and Industrial Institute. both locatod
In densely populated fro.American centres.
give predominance to the Industrial features
OF education and are among the most pop
ular and numerously attended OF these in
stitutions Church property is constantly in
tho city OF Washington. with an Afro. o.American
population Of 10000 supports upward OF a
hundred churches.
It would bo a contradiction Of all accented
should not constantly diminish the number
Of the thriftless and vicious, which, after all
connot constitute more than one per
cent, OF tho Afro American population.
A sufficient time has not elapsed since the war
work to multiply tho necessary agents to COM
bat Ignorance and poverty. None will deny
that progress has been made. There are
abundant indications that the progress con-
tinues. This Is n guarantee that still greater
progress will be made. The foundation has
been laid
II may shock tho sensitive nerves OF the
Kansas philosopher to be told that the Afro
American does not consider himself a failure
by any means, and II he has been a disappolnt.
ment to his friends. 1t Is due to tho fact that
they expected impossibilities and deserve no
| sympathy In their disappointment. The laws
I ~. al