New-York tribune., 1900-05-11
DISCUSSIONS AT MONTGOMERY.


of the Southern conference on problems
at Montgomery, Ala the address of Dr. Hollis
Il. FriSsell on ''The Problem Of Popular Educa-
tion in the South 1t takes up practical Ques-
ton affecting both races in u practical way
Ex-Secretary Herbert at the opening of the
conference showed Il similar spirit of enlighten-
ment and craftsmanship with regard TO educa-
tl0n. suffrage crime and social conditions in
slancing over the general field of discussion.
Several of tie other speeches have. however.
been disappointing. 1t was hoped and expected,
indeed that these men of the South would dis
cuss The questions in their own way and no
patriotic observer at the North would wish
them TO suppress the avowal of their prejudices
or the frank statement of the place they are
willing TO have the negro occupy, whether he
thinks their views wise and asonabe or not.
Therefore every honest utterance at Montgom-
cry Is to be commended. Only as inpractcable
schemes widely cherished are avowed and met
by better developed ones in the South itself can
the solution of the problem be found Neverthe-
less. making full allowance for this it is mpoS-
sible not TO feel that much of the talk is far
more in the air than expected from a body
of the most enlightened men of the South gath
cred together 10 face an actual present stua-
ton.
The problem, as every clear headed man must
see, is 10 adjust the rela tons OF the two races
living side by side as they do. by means which
there is reasonable hope Of commanding.
When men advocate wholesale migration Of
the black millions TO Africa they are wasting
time The blacks would not go and the
whites could not afford 10 let them GO Who
would transport five millions of blacks across
the ocean, or who would perform the manual
labor Of the South if they did suddenly
emigrate? SO. too, ii is waste Of time
to talk OF repeating the Fifteenth Amend
ment Passed wisely or unwisely it is n part of
the Constitution. and it would be practically
impossible to secure its repeal That is a pot-
ical fact to be reckoned with whether it is
liked or not. Nobody wonders at the Southern
white mans wishing that he could overcome
difficulties by some such short cut as these
which have been urged at MONTGOMERY New
Workers likewise waste time in wishing they
had some magic 10 transform HE voters Of this
town into wise and unsefsh citizens who wOuid
not allow Tammany to fatten upon It, But such
problems have to be faced they are The
negro Is in the South to stay. He has the ballot
on equal terms with the white. The ignorant
negro like the ignorant white. can and ought to
be excluded from politics. and the best civliza-
lion of the South shoud rule it, But the best
civilization will not rule ii If while dsfranchis-
ing ignorant negroes it puts premium on
i2nc -ance among white politicians. The white
race wonld simply he preparing for the domina-
tiCn of its own worst elements.
Instead OF making smooth the path of white
ignorance. the more practical plan Is that EN-
phasized by DIR. Frissell to educate both white
and black 10 be Industrious efficient and law
abiding citizens. This is remedy which is real
because II comes right down TO individual cases
general proposition Ike wholesale migra-
tion and total reversal of our history can do If
the negro can he made respected and valuable
member Of the community. nobody will want
him TO migrate or to be ballotless excent some
ignorant and shiftess white man who ought TO
I've educated ont of existence while the negro is
being educated into substantial raspecte biIity
Dr. Frlssell ard Booker Washington have shown
that whole communities Of negroes can be ere
ated by industrial education which will com
mand the goodwill of their white neighbors
One Of the speakers has declared that such is
race prejudice that Mr.. Washington refined and
personally attractive ns he is would not he ac-
cepted socially North or South We question If
BE would not he In many places North. II, not
South But evef, If the state,nent be true, II by
no means proves that race adjustment cannot