The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-05-09
RACE PROBLEM DISCUSSED
CONFERENCE HELD FOR THAT PUR-
POSE AT MONTGOMERY.


Secretary of the Navy Hillary
A. Herbert Made an Interesting
Speech on the Question Under Dis
cussiOn-Promoter of the Confer
cnce Want Expressions of Every
Phase of Southern Opinion.
Montgomery, Ala, May s.-The confer
ence for the discussion of the race prob
lem in the South was opened at the new
Auditorium tonight. Among those on the
stage who were faced by the large crowd
gathered to hear the addresses, were Gov.
Johnston, Hon. Hilary A. Herbert, ex-Gov.
MacCorkle OF West Virginia, Mayor Jo-
sephs of Montgomery and many others
prominent In Southern life.
The welcome OF the state was extended
by Gov. Johnston and Mayor Josephs ten
dered the freedom of Montgomery. Hon.
John B. Castor of Montgomery. who acted
as temporary chairman. s poke on the Idea
and History of the Confepnce."
Ex-Secretary of the Navy Herbert, who
avs introduced by Mr.. CASTOR. was the
next speaker. Mr.. Herbert said, in part
The two races are here and must abide
together. The deportation of eight or ten
millions of blacks is an impossibility.
of the University of Pennsylvania, few
years ago, after a dispassionate study of
the differences between the white man and
the negro, In which he clearly pointed out
| the inferiority of the negro, recommended
| that the negro, at wha tever cost, should
be deported. His fear was that the out
come in the South was 10 be amagama-
ton, and the consequent destruction of
| large portion of the finest race upon earth
Necessity has compelled us to resort
| to election methods which we desire to
| abandon. The results of the expenditure
| of millions on negro education has been
| 50 unsatisfactory that some good people
are advocating the abandonment of the
| system. The cost of trying negroes for
crime is out of all proportion to the cost
| of trying white men; and assaults by ne
groes upon white women have brought us
to lynch law. These questions we are
| here to discuss. Idleness among negroes
is undoubtedly growing. and crime in
| creaslng. Prof. Wilcox states facts
showing idleness to a degree that is start
ling; and he gives census figures to show
us that in the South the
| to population, with whites were, In 1890,
as little less than to /, and in the
| North considerably over to /. Govern
| ment statistics show that for ten years,
| beginning with 1879 of births among the
| negroes of the District of Columbia 1876
| per cent. were HleSltltnate, ana dndJ TOT
| the next period of eleven years, ending
with 1890, the percentage Of illegitimate,
| and that for the next period of eleven
| years, ending with 1899. the percentage
of illegitimate births was 1853. Grimes,
! however, in the district by the figures APP
pear to be only little oyer 2 TO l, ac-
| cording to population-which is decidedly
in favor of the district.
Question of Assault.
/ tsr,t.z
when we consider that assault by ne
| gro upon a white woman. such an alarm
| ing feature OF the present situation, was
unknown when the negroes were slaves,
| and remained unknown until new gem
| Grafton of negroes born in freedom, had
| grown into manhood; and this after all
| our efforts to elevate the negro by educa-
| ton. What does this mean? Two an
swers have been suggested one, that
| these crimes proceed from a spirit of re-
venge Prof. Wilcox, who suggests this.
says that such crimes frequently result
| ed during the Middle Ages from hatred
| of the Church. The other theory Is. that
these crimes Indicate a tendency among
| these people, whose ancestors. some OF
! them, a few generations ago We're saw
ages. TO relapse into barbarism.
"He hoped public opinion would settle
| down on the idea that we cannot sop
| crimes against women by ceasing to edu-
cate the negro If the crime comes from
the instincts of the barbarian. we cannot
| prevent il by ceasing 10 educate; IL IL Is
| prompted by revenge, we cannot cure the
situation by ceasing to educate. But
while continuing to urge education, I
| would not have you underestimate the task
that is before us. The negro Is not the
equal of the white man; science and his
tory alike proclaim this truth. His skull
is thicker and his brain smaller than the
white MANS and Prof Cope tells US that
the sutures of the skull which promote
growth and expansion, usually grow UP,
as they do not In the white mans at about
the age of IA years. The negro has never
civilized himself. He has always been a
savage in Africa. In Hayti and San Do
miugo during a century of salf-7overnment
he has refrigerated. In the British and
Danish West Indies he has mnde little
progress.
Critical Period.
"The moment Of emancipation was a
critical period in the history of the South
ern negro. He had not been taught 10
provide for the morrow. Liberty brought
responsibilities for which he was utterly
unequal and false teachings just now
might do him incalcula bic injury. Abraham
Lincoln knew thar the negro. who had
never learned to take care of himself. .ws 8
not competent 20 aid In taking care OF The
state. And so Mr. Lincoln's plan of re-
construction was to bring back the seced-
ed states INTO the 0tllOn WIN only BuC1
voters as were qualified under the laws Of
the several states. Mr.. Lincoln hal
prepared and read in his cabinet the
proclamation for the rehabilitation OF
North Carolina, which was the basis of
President Johnson's plan. This Is testi-
fed to by Secretary Mccullough and Gen.
Grant. If Lincoln had lived, the speaker
thought he would have been able 10 carry
out his plan. Johnson failed because he
had no tact and no influence
Another question reates to the purity
of the ballot box. Why is neither life
nor liberty safe in the little states of
Central America. The answer is, because
there is no such thing known there as
pure elections. Every administration is
the creature of revolution or Of an cleo
ton dominated by force. No one has any
respect for che title by which any off,
c al holds his place, and 80 revolutions
come and go and there neither is nor can
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