The sun., 1897-09-05
RACE PREJUDICE.
A Reply to the Cepc,usions or n NeEre Pest
and ~ white wFItCr,

feeling that the more specific and definite term,
AfrD-Amcrcan, docs not cover his case seb
forth with much show Of feeling the freedom
frotl rDce prejudice which a black man OF his
position catnys !I England as compared with
tho United Statos. and drow the conolusioH,
natural under tho circnTstauces that no man
can devcluu 20 tho fun cStcn. OF h!a nature who
in given environment docs not enjoy In every
way the Samo privileges, advantages and Inn
muait!es posfessed by hts fellow citizens.
This s u psitectl! rational and logical conclu.
sion IL has hecn shown eoncusively, how
ever, that raco prejudice is to be found in oil
quarters Of tho s!oSo and among all tho tribes
OF non. Tho Urcutals exhibit II toward the
Europeans. and Soih exhibit Il toward the
Africans, and tho latter toward tho otherA
Sometimes this prejudice among the three
great divisions Of the human family--and color
is n better arbitrary line OF division than any
othc"-is based on race, religion, condi-
tion, but more generally Un race and condition
combined. Its existence appears wherever
the conflicting elements n;e brought into con-
tact, whether as individuals or as aggregates.
Tho appearance OF q white man In any native
territory In Africa will throw the entire popu-
lation into confusion; the samo thin, occurs
whenever any black man appears in any white
community where people OF his race are noe
often seen. The theory holds also with regard
TO the oriental or yellow races.
AS u matter OF fact. the Christian religion is
tho only ono that inculcates tho brotherhood OF
man and fatherhood OF God, the unity Of the
human family In origin and destiny, and there
fore that works irresistibly for the destruction
OF barriers Of general intercourse and harmonic.
GUS re- atoms; ana this is true because relig.
lon OF whatever sort Is the Keynote OF race
baso fact that while the European Christians
every where seek to break down the barriers
reltRtpnA tDnfrrtlla Nn60hh 0-
BANNED, which dominate for the most part the
genius and aspiration q the black and yellow
man re at!onsh!p. tho others every whore oppose
all such efforts. and where they havc physical
persecution. anG often into massacres. rs has
been repeatedly the cnso in Asia and Africa. I
based on race and religion OF the black and yell
low races against the white races Is more
thai OF the white races against the black and
yellow races. This view of tho matter has NOT
Were tbs p hrsca inorv 'o Of tho black and
yellow people has placed them at the mercy OF
the whites WHO hayG SeiisTe allowed then
than has been enjoyed by equhl number OF
whites residing IN any country dominated by
due entirely to the fundaipental difference In
the religious phhosophy, Of the thr-e peoples.
to remember this view OF the matter. which. I
am convinced IS borne out by all the facts In
relative intensity OF race prejudice shown in
England or Europe and the United Statos be-
ha5 tants OF tho United states has created .
problem with which no European country has to
deal. the Jewish question, based on race and re-
a. national @ problem IN Europe as that Of The The
Indians belong 10 the lattor raceJ here.
| This view OF the matter may also be COM
mended 10 John Temple Graves, who, in a late
view OF the race question and boldly asserted,
IN ignorance Of the facts IN the case, what Mr..
| dicc in the United states is general and OF
| kind. General it Is. as in Europe but OF q kind
| Graves Is common and based upon reprehensible
Ignorance OF race conditions as they really ex-
great editor once said TO mo that no American
should a trsSel IN IN any foreign country until he
and the other white. had done this before they
wrote, the one from the point Of view Of Eng
Southern States, and If they had studied tho
race question in It's larger, its universal scope,
and fns enn
from seIfs difterent premises, Certainly not
As matter OF fact race .prejudice In tho
black, race; 1t extends TO other races. but in
so mild form as to be almost unrecoGnisable.
on different aspect in the three sections usual
| ly denominated the North, the West, and the
is in ali OF them from what it IS in Europe. In
all the southern section Of the country race
prejudice pcrmoess ate all the avenues ~ Of life en-
and industry. while in the other two sections
It does NOT extend to the laws at all. except In
! isolated local instances, and Is absent In GER
tain departments OF industry and will grad
uelly disappear in all of them.
at the existence OF this prejudice and the i'm
possibility OF overcoming Il, and his use Of me
anything have said to back up his View Of tho
matter; and the almost identical note OF despair
uttered by Mr.. Dunbar, would lead to the sup
position that the conclusions Of two such eu-
thorities, reasoning from radically opposite
matter, but they do not, In each instance the
conclusion is based upon Insufficient informa-
ton OF the whole subject. but more esEecialiy
our own country.
1t is not a matter OF controversy that the
short OF that enjoyed by his white fellow .citt.
case in all the. middle and most Of the Western
States. while in all the southern States he en-
that he does In the other statos. and he Is SO
re,tric!ed and hammered in the enjoyment Of
them. To compare favorably the condition Of
the African of New England in these vital res
Graves has don done and as other men Of the South:
ern States with equal ability and zeal and ignor-
SsST Dss5 s9s e Sy s
Justice that belongs to them and OF which they
have right TO be proud. To do SO would fur.
hope q its ultimate solution along the broad
limo. OF tho nation genius as defined IN the
Declaration OF Independence and Of the letter
knd spirit; OF the national de.ire As reflected In
the war amendments 10 the Constitution.
Tot mo illustrate tho matter In O way often
ignored by those who deal with tho problem
from pcejudiCei or superficial point OF view.
! In New England, then, there are no restrio-
tions on the franchise rights OF one citizen that
do not affect In llke manner and extent those Of
another. The votes OF one and OF the other arl
invariably counted as cast. and cast rs the vot-
ers desired that they should he. There no
separate schools In New England: tho money
rai-st BY taxation for school purposes is dis.
trbutcd 10 the one as to the other in proper.
ton nearly equal rs possible, by allowing all
TO share IN Vt together without arbitrary separa-
. ton. There are 10 separate car systems In
New England. The common carriers on land
and sea are open TO all alike upon the same
conditions Of contract While there are a few
/ restaurants ana hotels In New ENGLAND In
which the colo: line is drawn, there are 20 many
n which II IS not that the Afro American way
farer can always fad place TO sleep and plen.
y 10 eat. II no has the money 10 pay for what
he waits A. far .hs church IL concerned,
while A FRO A nprrnp3 ha their of thelN