The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1900-06-18

OF the NTH biennial. the president re-
ferring 70 him as the federation's Ia
test acquisition.
Apropos OF the color question Mrs.
Anna ID. West of Massachusetts. who
championed the cause OF Mrs. Rufiin
and the New Era Club (colored) of
Boston expressed herself before the ex-
ecutive board of the G.. #. w. c. as
follows: Massachusetts feels that
harmony In the q. +. w. c. is OF far
greater Importance than the question
OF admitting any one club; therefore
We do not feel ready at this time 10
press the matter TO decisive issue
and will let the matter rest where IL
is."
Her remarks were warmly applaud
ed. Later Mrs. West said TO a friend
that she was going home to Massa-
chusetts with a heavy heart, that she
felt her duty had not been done and
that the cause OF humanity had been
retarded. She realized, however. that
the question was too far reaching to
be forced now.
Mrs. Lowe OF Atlanta, Georgia, pres
ident OF the @. r. w. c.. upon being
interviewed expressed herself as fol-
lows:
People have seemed to persistently
misunderstood our position in this
matter. There is no class in the United
States that has the welfare of the col
ored race more deeply at heart than do
the best women OF the south. IL is the
problem that confronts us every day,
how TO uphft and make better and no
bier the lives OF the thousands of
black people that we have down there.
You OF the north cannot understand
the matter as IL affects us. Ii is vital TO
us. And the women OF the south are
hard at work upon this problem. Mrs.
Otterley and myself and others have
built up the system OF kfndergartens
among the colored children. we have
corresponded with every phllanthropist
and man OF prominence In the country,
asking their cooperation In this work
that must be done as the foundation
of the salvation OF the colored race.
There is no trouble we will not take.
there Is no labor that we, will not per-
form. to better the unhappy conditions
that now exist. But we do not there
fore feel called upon TO admit these
people 10 our firesides. our homes, to
make them our social equals
And this question OF Mrs. Ruffin
coming here and trying to force her.
self upon the federation Is altogether
a wrong way of trying TO help the race.
WhySssloes she not follow the example
of Booker Washington in his great
work He does not try to force himself
upon the white people. He works and
labors for and among his own people.
And that is what she should do. Let
her 20 south where she will be a lead
er among her own people. They need
just such women as she 10 show them
what they can accomplish. IL she Is
cultured and intellectual. all the great
er reason why she should lend them
her help and be their leader, instead OF
trying to force herself where the feel
ing of social inferiority can never be
overcome.
"They talk OF Alice Carey and the
great work she has done for the blacks,
and when she comes up north people
go to hear her, and carry her about.
But att home she 10 virtually a maia,
the same as Mary here. She Is my
friend and I am her friend, and she
knows it. but she does not want to
sit by my side at a luncheon. or re-
ceive with me, at a party. II Is all the
greatest mistake that ever was made,
and the negroes Of the south do not
want this sort Of elevation.
by ally means let the coiored wom-
en- organize. Let them have their q"
clubs and declarations; let women such
as Mrs. Rufin lead them. and let the
organizations OF white women cooper
ate with them in every way, but do not
let us mingle.
"No. indeed. this race question is not
going 10 break up the federation. Mrs.
Lowe concluded. emphatically. This
thing is too strong and well-founded
for a question OF that kind TO spit IL
up.
Still another leading southern woman
who was especially prominent at the
bienniel expressed herself as follows
viz
IT would like to know something
about the social status that Is occupied
by the editors Of the newspapers In the
peared In the papers here i should I'M
agine that the editors must belong ia
the very scum Of the earth Do they
mean that they approve OF the social
recognition OF the colored race? WI
they admit them TO their friendship
their firesides. their families? VIII
they marry themy For that Is what
whites and the blacks. For IL you give
them once the entrance among us, We
must give them all. Let no one think
that the negro woman can be admitted
and the negro man kept out. III you
admit the colored woman. her husband
must come also, and be regarded as ouI
equal.
admitting colored women TO the fed
Grafton on literary basis, and keeping
them aloof from US soclally. In this
(, federation the social duties are just a:
binding and responsible as the other du
! ties.
/ Just let your northern editors come
| south and look at the problem as II pre-.
| sents itself there. There we are. out
| numbered by the negroes ten to ono. i
1 is a constant war 10 protect ourselves
against them. And II you come TO thu
| political side OF the question. we do no
| dare TO be anything else but Democrats
! IL Is the race question always tha
! comes up. and the white man mus
vote the Democratic ticket In order Il
| protect himself from the dominance q
| the negro. no matter what his individ
| uaI convictions may be, No question
! OF economies, Of advancement. can w
| consider. nor can we let the bars dowI
| for one instant.
| Northern people do not understan'
| this question: they look at II from
| purely theoretical point OF view. N
| one can appreciate the position OF tn
southern women in this convention wh,
has not lived long enough In the soutl
| TO understand the situation there. !
may look IKE inhumanity. and all tina
sort OF thing. but n YOU knew what w
had to contend with your Judgment
/ would not be so harrh."