The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-08-20
FUTURE OF THE NEGRO
QUESTION THAT Is BEGINNING To
WORRY CHURCH WORKERS..
Northerness Who Give Money for
SkepticnI as to His snIvatson.
70 the IndIanapoIIs journal.

Special TO the Indianapolis Journal.
NEW YORK, Aug. 19.-Workers in the
cause Of the colored race uplift are thor
oughly alarmed. Conditions have been
growing worse for a year past, and the re-
cent convention of colored leaders in Chi
cage has had the effect of precipitating a
crisis. A conference has been called in this
city for an early date. This conference
will be made up Of the men i'm active charge
of educational work among the colored
people Of the South. apart from the public
school system. Amorg those who have
promised 10 attend are secretaries of such
benevolent bodies as the American Mission
airy Association, which has educational work
among the mountain whites as well as
among the colored people; the American
Baptist Home Mission Society, now COM
plotting the splendid Virginia Union Univer-
sity plant at Richmond; the Freedmen's Aid
Society and the Commission for Church
Work Among Colored People.
That which led up TO the call for the New
York conference is the attitude of the great
body OF well to do men and women at the
North who have been supporting work
among the colored people of the South. Oc-
currellces Of the past two years have led
these people into a skeptical frame of mind.
They are not hostile to the colored race, but
they are beginning to doubt. Booker t.
Washington is known to be more discour-
aged than ever before in his life. He has
been invited to the proposed conference, and
will be one of the speakers. II is also known
he will not undertake TO defend his race.
On the contrary he may quote some Of the
real leaders of that race as being them
selves doubtful of the future. These and
other men admit the presence OF a crisis.
That which has brought about this crisis
Is the conviction, forced into the minds of
those philanthropists of New England, New
York. Pennsylvania and the North in gen.
eral that perhaps after all that which is
behind the lynchings in the South proves
there is in the colored race an evil instinct
which present educational methods Is not
awaiting TO overcome. Those who have
called the conference say that IL such be the
TACT they want 10 know it. In the minds OF
older men anything said against the colored
race Is heresy ana preJudice, Dut IN the
men as Booker T.. Washington. IL is essen
tial 10 get at the facts. let them hit whom
There is a growing conviction among
these same Northern philanthropists that
after all the franchise ought to be taken
from the colored male adult, until such
time as he shows. by education and char
acter, that he is fit to exercise 1t. Upon
They think such disarmament may remove
one of the prime causes of trouble at the
South. Speaking Of the conference to-day
Gen. Thomas J. Morgan, who has directly
to do with the distribution OF more Northern
funds for the education OF the colored youth
in the South than any other one man, per-
haps. said: There is no greater question
before US than this. L do not wonder at the
encouragement that confrcnts US. The
problem must be met and solved. But how?
All Of the wisdom of the white race must
be called in TO answer. i shall attend the
conference. / hope it will show a way
out. But 1 fear it may not"
The date of the proposed conference is
the first week in November and the enor-
NOUS interest is shown by the fact that
practically all who have been invited have
sent acceptances, many OF them accompa
MED by letters similar to the remarks made
by General Morgan.