The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1899-01-11
TOM MILLER'S ADDRESS


Day address 10 Spartanburg, is we'll
worth reading by whites as we'll as ne
groes, by nortberners as we'll as sopth-
eroers. It is raoy all the way through,
and some of the points it makes have
no. been better presented by any body.
Tom Miller like Brooker Washington, /,
is the president Of en- agricultural and
mechanical eallege. and be stands stout.
II to Washington in his policy of
making industrial education the
Degro's path to prosperity and influence.
but be goes farther than his Alabama
co.worker. His olden experience as q
politician enables hin to detect political
shams and his practice as lawyer
qualities him to puncture them.
1.-The negro must so live 10 the south as
to prove by his acts that his ooly hope
is confined within the limit Of the State
10 which he lives. I. is better by far to
have no political hope than have one
that is predcated upon national aid. ma
tional protection or national interference
in our behalf"
The negroes generally need his advice !:
''Shatter the idol of our hopes during
the past 80 years. the idol that has been
enthroued on the outside of the State,
for it is impotent. though reiguing.
It has hands, but ie cannot be uplifsed
10 your behalf; it has ears, but it will
hear not: it has voice, bot toe voice has
been bushed it has eyes. but the eyes
will not penetrate across the line of any
sovereign States /. has understanding,
but not for your cause; it has regard
for the rights of the citizens Of the Uoi.
ted States, but that citizenship must not
be clothed in black skin"
There is cleveruess 10 the way he
uses the address of Senator Hoar in
Charleston to brove to his race that the
north has abandoned them aud that
they must apply themselves to making
friends of the southern white people.
Indeed be has plenty of other material
at hand to prove this fast. aud be uses
some of it. Relief from such i'll as the
negroes really suffer must come, be
says. through the good white men of
the south
1--WE will have 20 stay here trusting 20
God, acknowledging to our white citi-
sens our helplessness and weaknesses.
relying on sbem to right the ills We
bear. Shoulder to shoulder, aegroes
aud shise men must stand, hand iu
hand they must stoop under the burden.
and together. With heart Of love, labor
for the State of South Carolina, the
good ofshe races and the glory Of God y
That is sound continent Many
sou.hirn white men. Democrats, have
dared financial loss, personal villifca
tiop and even violence in order to pro-
secs the negro from outrage by the baser
element of the ruling race but do
what they may they cannot succeed
without the negro's cooperation. 1t ls
to be borne in miod that Of negroes iii
s:eated by white men hardly one 10 a
buodred is gulltless of some ill.copducs
We recall very few cases in which sober,
quiet negroes eugaged iu their regular
avocations have been troubled by white
men, however reckless There are ne.
groes IN every community who are re-
spected by all white people, who have
strong friends ameng them. These are
rarely if ever victims of lawlessness
The moral then is plain that in proper.
ticn as the negroes earn for themselves
the respect of the white people they
will enjoy immunity from injustice =
The State.
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