New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-05-22
THE NEGRO'S PROBLEM.
To the Editor Of The Tribune.
cases.

Sir In your issue OF the 10Th, nouce your
very excellent comment and advice to the col
ored preachers and others OF the race. what
must we do? We have exhausted all peaceaole
means. We have appealed TO the Government,
and the answer has been and Is. we cannot IN
terfere with State rights" We appeal to the
State and 1t smiles and does nothing. we
appealed to the pulpit and Christian societes;
and they in turn silent. We have appealed
TO the press and It is silent. so far as condemn
ing the dastardy acts. and in many instances
commends the lynchers. Now. will you inform
me what is left for US to do?
Orange. N. j.. May 16 1899.
Follow the advice Of such leaders as Booker
T. Washington. Educate the colored people in
self-contro. morality obedience to law Ac-
cept the situation as 1t is, and try to make the
best of It. instead Of provoking more evils than
the negro now endures by doing more wrong In
addition to that which is pleaded as the cause
and the excuse for Southern violence.
The negros duty to maintain order Is not
different from the whites. II the one owes 1t
to civilization to practise self-restraint and
avoid deeds Of blood even in retaliation, the
other does We have denounced the lynchers
and man burners frequently. and told the South
ern white people that even negro crime, no
matter how despicable, no matter how deserv-
ing the wretch might be Of heaviest punish
ment, could furnish no excuse for community
TO lower it's own civilization and faint its own
blood with the poison Of delight in savage deeds
and fendsh passion. So too, we say to all
who desire the happiness Of the black race that
no resentment for i'll treatment warrants them
In an appeal to force. No doubt the negro's
burden is Il heavy one Whatever his sins as
an individual and as a race, he has been pun
| ished out Of all proportion. But he cannot re-
| tallate Every bit Of disorder every act OF
vengeance Is sure to return upon the head Of
| his own people. His is a hard lot, but he will
| not better 1t any by ignoring his actual stua-
| ton He belongs to q race inferior In culture
| and ability to the dominant people among whom
| he lives. He is the victim Of race prejudice,
which, however unreasonable is one Of the
most persistent and insurmountable feelings in
| the world. Anything he does amiss particu-
lary anything that arouses the passions or
| race prejudlces Of the whites, Is sure to
| call for severe treatment, more severe than a
| white man would receive. He may say that Is
unjust but 1t is an injustice too deeply rooted
In human nature to be eradicated by such ap-
peals as our correspondent speaks Of. The only
refuge is TO be more careful than the white
man has to be about doing wrong.
OF course, the ignorant black can hardly be
expected to be model OF conduct who will
neither merit the punishment nor excite the
persecution Of the whites. But the leaders OF
the negroes can do as Professor Washington
has done, try to train them 10 I'LL more 10 their
own credit and the satisfaction Of their white
neighbors the humble station In which they
have been placed. They can be taught not &c
think Of vengeance, not to defend criminals OF
their own race They can be educated In in
dustry and order, and warned against follow
ing demagogues and bringing on themselve.
the blame for political evils put upon communi
ties by rascals whom they in sheer ignorance
trust. They will thus do more TO dlsarm white
prosecutors than they can ever hope TO do b,
antagonIzng the stronger race. The worthless
whites who make up the active force Of lynch
ers and burners have been able TO impose thei
savagery on the South only because the highe
class OF whites who hated the disorders, have
been aenated from the negro, partly. 1t Is true
by prejudice. but partly also by the negro