Gulf Coast breeze. [volume] (Crawfordville, Fla.) 1897-19??, 1900-05-25
SEPARATE THE RACES
Was Tenor Of Montgomery Speech
of John Temple Graves.
NO FUTURE PEACE WITHOUT 1T.


During the meeting Of the society
for the promotion of study of the race
conditions held in Montgomery, Ala,
the past week, Hon. John Temple
Graves argued for separation Of the
races in distant localities as the cure
for existing evils. Mr.. Graves said in
part:
For twenty years l have been in
constant protest against the compile
cent assertion that there was no race.
question in the south. Men OF power
and influence in my own and other
states-poiiticians OF prominence,
skimming the surface of events-have
soothed us with the assurance that
there was no problem and that time
and patience aud folded hands would
settle these great questions in the per.
feet way.
The issue Of races is not peculiar to-
America. 1t is the problem Of the
Anglo-Saxon peoples. It burns in Ip-
dia, in Africa and in America.
Twill the white man permit the ne
gro to have an equal part in the indus
trial, political, social and civil advan-
tages Of the United States? This, as
l understand it, is the problem"
This question, asked by Council, ~
the deliberate representative Of his
people, is the core of the race ques-
ton. 1 adopt it as my own and ask
that question here today.
The answer to it is in every white
mans heart, even il it does not lie
openly on every white mans lips. 1t
may be expressed in diplomacy; it may
be yelled in indirection; il may be
softened in phianth, ophy; it may be
guarded in polite utterance, and Of
tenest Of all IL is restrained by ultra
conservatism and personal timijity.
But, wherever the answer to this vital
question comes, stripped of verbiags
and indirection, it rings like m artial
busle in the single syllable-''nor'
II the fifteenth amendment be re-
pealed you may be sure that il will
never be re.enacted in nation or state.
The Acknowledgement Of the negro was
the American mistake Of the century.
II is best recognized by those who did
il.
Industrial education will not solve,
but complicate the problem. Will in
dustrial education raise the moral
status OF the negro when the academy
and tho classic school have failed?
Will the education Of the hand pro.
ducs higher type Of citizens tnan the
education OF the mind?
On this great question 1 stand now
where I have always stood-whsrs
Webster stood and Henry Clay; where
Thomas Jefferson stood and Abraham
Lincoln, and Henry Grady and Council
and Turner aud the rest-where in
time oil men will stand who BEE the
light and dare to face it.
Separation is the logical, the newt
able, the only way. No other pro.
posed solution will stand the test Of
logic aud experiment.
Education complicates the problem.
Every year Of enlightenment increases
VIZ hoS'o % oppiohouoioh VI ITO Pooi-
ton Of his merit and attainment, and
Of the inconsistency between his real
aud his constitutional status in the
republic.
We have come in Gods providence
10 the parting Of the ways.
In the name OF history aud Of hu-
manity; in the interest OF both races,
and in the fear OF God, I call for
We make it peaceably now. We
may be forced to accomplish it in blood
hereafter.
The time is propitious and the com.
Try is ripe for separation.
have more than casual reason to
believe that the solid Judgment which
rests behind the beneHcisnt expert.
ment OF Booker Washington teaches
him that neither worth, nor merit, nor
will ever bridge the i'm
possible barrier Of race prejudice, and
that when the last arrow of his noble
effort has been shot, it must come to
this at last.
There is not hope in fact or reason
Tor the negro outside Of separation,