The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1897-08-27
AS SEEN THROUGH NEGRO
EYES.

Nashville Exposition was a colored
man Of education and talent BY the
name Of John e. Bruce, OF Albany, N.
Y. Since returning home this OBJ
servant colored visitor has published
a letter in which he gives out some
wholesome information concerning
the treatment OF negroes in the South.
The writer declares without mine.
ing words that the people OF the
South entertain little or no prejudice
toward the negro, and that whatever
friction occurs between the two races
in this section is largely caused by the
negroes themselves. This statement,
coming voluntarily from one Of the
leading exponents Of the negro race,
cannot fail to satisfy even the most
rabid OF our Northern critics. Says
the negro visitor to the Nashville Ex.
position:
Speaking Of race Determinations,
OF which 80 much has been heard re-
Gently In the press and out OF It, l am
frank to say that, so far as my ob.
servatiOns wcnt there is no more OF it
In Nashville than there Is In Wash.
ingtOn, Baltimore or Boston. 1t Is o
little more pronounced, to be sure, in
Nashville than In the other places
named, because there are goOd and
substantial reasons for its existence,
chief among which is the fact that
some of the lower classes Of blacks are
bumptious, overbearing and greasy in
public places and on public carriers.
They are boisterous and sometimes
insulting, and are always looking for
trouble. They realize that they are
free citizens, but forget to comport
themselves with the decency and de.
cOrum which becomes all citizens. ]
did a good deal OF street car riding
when in Nashville, as my lodgings
were quite three miles from the ex.
position. In going to and from the
grounds saw things. which did not
altogether please me. Half.grown ne
gro boys would stop the crowded cars,
stand on the platform, smoking vile
pipes or cigarettes, their coats of and
under their arms, their clothing filthy
and dirty, and their language cor.
respondingly dirty. When they had
finished their smoke they would make
break for the first vacant seats In
the car. II there was space between
two well-dressed cOlOred passengers
they would plump themselves into 1t
with all their dirt and disgusting
odOrs, and they would crowd white
passengers In the same way, entirely
Indifferent to the fact that they were
offensive to sight and smell. Among
this class of negroes everywhere there
IL decided absence OF self-respect
and pride, and 1t Is this class that
makes Jordan q hard road for the av.
eragc respectable negro to travel, and
whose disgraceful conduct in public
places intensI1es the prejudice against
the race"
Happily there does not exist IN the
North the same ignorance and mis-
apprehension on the subject of the
negro which formerly existed In that
section. Within the past few years
much light has been thrown upon the
solution by candid writers whose only
object has been to state the truth,
and In this connection it is gratifying |
to observe that negroes themselves
have largely contributed to bring
about this better understanding. The
observations Of the Albany negro are
most respectfully commended to the |
sober perusal Of our friends in the
North"