The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-08-16
THURSDAY. AUGUST 1s. 1900.
AN ESCAPED LUNaTIC.

A correspondent OF the New York Times,
who probably escaped from some lunatic
asylum, reviews the recent race troubles
in New Orleans and pictures Robert
Charles. the negro VINO de[ied the officers
OF the law and slew number of men be-
fore he was finally smoked out AMI cap
tured. as hero and a martyr. IF this
calm. nervy. deliberate black man." he
says. facing certain and isnominious
death and yet using his rifle with such
deadly effect, Is not hero. then let the
names of a.he martyrs of the Alamo be
erased from the page of history. One
hundred ana fifty negroes like Robert
Charles, and armed he was, would have
brought that mob to its senses. When we
consider that every peaceable means has
beer exhausted by the Southern negro to
obtain and enjoy his just rights in the
South, that brave act of Robert Charles
points TO new solution OF the lace prob
lem. The Southern white does not love
death SO well when it comes to tasting of
it himself. and the negros war record is
ample proof that he die like q man.
Here is a fair sample of the friend of the
negro at the North. 1t will be recalled
that this negro whom the Northern man
glorifies was lefying. not a mob. but the
officers of the law who had gone there to
arrest him. Yet the Northern man who
in such great stickler for law and order
says that the negro did right and that if
there We're more like him In the South
there would be less trouble between the
races. He also tells the negroes TO arm
themselves and shoot the whites upon
what they may consider provocation.
What fool! II the negroes should take
this advice il would not be many years
before the race question would be soifsed
indeed. for the whole negro race would be
exterminated.
On the other hand. 1t is given out that
the most prominent negroes of New Or
leans have taken the initial steps towards
forming an organization. whose object is
to bring about ana maintain better rela-
tons between the two races of that city.
They would stamp out lawiessness among
the lower class of negroes and persuade
the ignorant members of their race not to
harhor criminals nor antagonize the Off
GERS OF the law, and not to accept as
leaders agitators and incendla,ies whose
business seems TO be to stir I'D strife.
We gather these facts from one of our
exchanges and from the same source we
learn that ]. Madison Vance, the leading
negro lawyer Of louisiana, in recent
address to his people said that the time
had come when tie better class of negroes
must assert themselves and draw the line
between those Of their race who obey the
law and those who are lawless and crlni-
nal. He declared it TO be the duty of in
telligent law-ahlding negroes ITO do all in
their power to prevent the race hatred and
prejudice that We're being engendeTed and
the opposition to law and authority that is
developing among the colored people" ana
which, in his opinion. would necessarily
Head TO race conflicts.
There we have well defined difference
Between the intelligent negro at the South
and the fool friends Of the negro at the
North. The Northern. iunatic. from whom
NE have quoted. advises the negroes Of the
South TO disregard the law, to defy the
officers of the LAW and TO take up arms
against the waites. The sensible negro in
New Orleans. who understands the situa-
zion. advises the members of his race 20
respect and obey the law. to yield them
Oefrcs to authority and to exert them
selves TO cultivate a friendly Relationship
between the whites and blacks.
Especially are We impressed with the
suggestion made by The colored lawyer of
New Orleans that the better class of
negroes assert themselves and draw the
line between those OF their raos who obey
the law and who conduct themselves be-
cominsly and those who are lawless and
rowdy. We have time and again given
that same advice through these columns
We have said that the respectable men
and women OF t;,e coiorei race must Or