The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1900-11-29
THE AMERICAN NEGRO.
A DISTINGUISHED NORTHERN TEACHER
AND WRITER
Discusses The Future of the Ameri-
can Negro" in the Popular Science
Monthly in an Intelligent and Com
prehensi>e Manner-Does Not Be-
Iieve in the Practicabilitv of the
Project OF Helping Them With the
Long Arm of the Federal Law.
wilmington MeSsenger.) }

Wilmington MeSsenger.)
Prof. Shaler. Of Harvard University.
Massachusetts,, is noted teacher
and writer on chronological and other
questions. In Popular Science Monthly
for June last, he discusse. The
Future of the American Negro" We
noted the article AT the time and in
tended to have referred to it coming
from a Northern source. The Char
lottc Presbyterian Standard. of 10Th,
inst. has paper upon il. The in
tcresting part Of Prof Shaler's paper
is that the settlement of the impor
tant question must be left with the
South. He saws:
"ENpcrience has shown the i'm
practicability Of the project Of help
ing the negroes with the long arm Of
the Federal law. The only chance OF
stature of the citizen, is by leaving
his future essentially in the hands of
the mastcrful folk who alone can help
him"
1t is gratifying to know that all
Northern writers who touch this sub
Just are not fanatics and fools. Prof.
Shaler and some others show that
they have observed aud studied the
situation and the negro and have
come to the conclusion that there is
neither wisdom nor Judgment in the
North's essaying to deal with the So
luton of this pregnant and even fate
ful question
No other people but the whites of
the South ever blessed and elevated
the negroes. Under every other mas
tership they have decaved and gone
back into the very depths whence
they came. Prof. Shaler thinks the
.old motivcs'' Of the "old slave
holder" will ''be continued in his de-
scendantS at least for some genera
tions." Very likely. The present
generation is carrying out we'll the
kindness and sympathy and help OF
their fathers. The South is eNpend-
| ing money to educate the negroes
with as much liberality as the veter-
ans of the wax voted. Some so. 600,
900 in the South's white poverty have
| gone to educating the children Of the
| very slaves wrcnched from the whites
| by the ruthless. savage war. We
agree with the following historic re-
sumo from the Stu,adard as both Just
and true:
The negro is not here in America
by his own fault. He did not invade
our soil and become the captive Of our
| bow and spear. He was brought
here against his will and with such
| horrors Of massacre and cruel cap
| tivitv as we can read Of today in
| the slave trade that Arabs still carry
on.
we know also that the South e
| sisted his coming at first, and then
welcomed him under the bencficent
care Of the 'masterful folk, our ia
| theirs, he thrived and increased in
| numbers and grew by a degree OF
| civilization such as a barbarous race
| had never attained in SO short time,
and to a decent and often genuine OBJ
.ervance OF the precepts Of the Chris
tian religion.
| Nor was he in the least RESPONSE
| bic for the agitation that shook the
nation and it was split in twain.
| Can we blame him if. when invading
armies swept through the land like a
| flood, his emotional nature was at las,
wrought upon and he followed tho
army? Can we blame him too severe
| " that he turned for awhile to the
tlattering promises OF his seducers
and gave himself into their hands:
He was ignorant He knew no his
tory and believed what was sold him
Sentimentalists fondled him. politi-
clans battered him.
A, the McSScnJer has some time
shown the confidence. good feelin.
and forbearance Of the whites have
| been greatly shaken with the pro
gress Of years. After 50 much school
inr. 50 MANY acts of kindness ant
friendship, after so much expenditure
Of money in education, building asy
lumS. churches, etc, and after thirty
five wears Of experience. the negroe
appear to learn nothing, still cheri>l
the old dislike of the whites, still dc
light to vote ayriust them. and L
countervail their efforts in behalf o
good and honest government. and ar
aS much welded, Ephraim like. Il
their idols as ever they were in tht
dark, deviliah days of -ba-yery
We are altogether friendly Il
the negro, would help him on /" bet
ter living and higher morals ans
more usefulness We agree with ih'
able editor Of the .Stantinrd in this:
oar father showed the worlC
what cOuli b. done with the uc-it
under the tutela-e Of slavery. Oar
must be the greater task 70 show tha
he can be trained IL obedience to Law
TO the virtue. Of d"ccncv and .clfre
straint and social parity, to the prac
tice. rather than 10 the noisy profes
sion. Of true religion. VIII
present tendencies there is too muci
warrant for the conclusion draw
that the race is diving out, a sacrifice
to the misguided zeal Of the Nortl
and the unrcstrained license Of th
latter dav. Of freedom