The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1899-08-22

Christianity has won more followers
than In the previous eighteen centuries.
Daring the first l, 500 years Of Christian
history the Church gained hundred
million adherents; during the next 300
years, about the same number while
In the last 100 years the increase has
been two hundred and ten million NOM
inal Christians. But half the pOpula-
tion Of the world is still pagan -
The alarming number Of "lynchings'
Of negroes throughout the South. and
also in some Of the Northern and West
ern States, indicates an increasing an
tsgonism between the white and coll
ored races, and has led to many sug
gestions rs to the solution of the per-
picking social problem. One Of these,
emanating from a prominent colored
clergyman in the South, is an appro-
pristion Of q hundred million dollars
by Congress for the Wholesale deporta-
ton Of the negro race to the African
continent, the aboriginal home of
their ancestors. Another proposition
il the breaking up Of the congestion Of
the negro race in the South, and their
diffusion, In something approximating
q like race ratio, over all the States
OF the Union, giving the North full
dose Of the dark drug A third drastic
suggestion is the reapeal Of the four
teenth and fifteenth amendments. The
Richmond Times is one of the papers
that strenuously advocates the last
named remedy. In recent discus
sion Of the question II says:
From the time that the ballot was
put into the hands OF the negro until
now he has been q tool in the hands OF
designing politicians and has given
abundant proof that he Is not qualified
to vote. Moreover this right OF suffer
age has put false notions into his
head and has been the primary cause
Of the clash between the races. Ii the
negro should be disfranchised he would
DO 0 better citizen he would turn his
attention away from politics. which
has never done him any good, but al
WAYS evil, to better things, he would
take altogether q different view Of life,
and il the hope were held out to him,
&C should be done, that he would be
admitted into the enjoyment Of all the
rights Of citizenship as soon as he
should qualify himself, this would be
o stimulus to every black man who had
the ambition TO better his condition.
Rev. DR.. L. G. Broughton, South.
ern preacher, has In sermon been
undertaking to enlighten the Northern
people on the negro problem. He in
sists that politics is at the bottom Of
the race troubles, and intimates that
II the negro should be deprived Of the
right to vote until he shall be qualified
from an educational and moral stand
point for that privilege. race antsgonism
would be speedily e1tinguished. This
sermon of DR.. Broughton's has arrested
the attention or many Northern jour-
mails, among them the Philadelphia
Times. That paper concludes a
lengthy review Of the Broughton SER
mon with the following significant re-
mark
The people Of the Nor tn. since the
war, have been content to let the col.
orsd people of the South work out their
own salvation, but 1t looks as IL the
time has come for some united action
and final settlement Of the problem.
No people were confronted with
graver problem than this of the rela-
tions of the two races in the United
States 1t 10 to be remarked that in
the South the old time negroes are, as
O rule, well. behaved and polite. and
have the kindly regard of the whites. 1t
Is, In the main. the younger class of
colored people who are causing the
frightful disorders throughout the
country. The true friend Of the negro |
race 10 the man who sdmonishes them
that the path which will conduct them
20 comfort and prosperity, is not poll
tics, but industry. sobriety. and the |
cultivation OF a courteous. friendly in
tercourse with their white fellow .citi
zens. The latter are In an overwhelm-
ing numerical majority, and possess
nine-t enths of the property and wealth
Of the country. They are, besides. In
absolute control of the politics and
lsw.making power. How wicked is 1t
for any person to play upon the ig-
norsnce and passions Of the negroes
s,d instieate them to array themselves
against their white neighbors who
have every disposition TO be their
friends !