The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1901-10-13
Reply 10 Professor Dabney.

| Editor of The Times:
| Sir,-The claim has been frequently
| made that the whites should cease eou-
eating the blacks: but probably the most
elaborate argument that has yet been ad-
vanced is the article in last Sundays
Times by Prof. r. II. Dabney, Of the Uni
versity of Virginia. His position and rep
utation is so high that an answer from
one who has no reputation and but lit
tie learning Will doubtless seem out of
place. But this argument is so faulty
and his conclusion so horrible that I cam
not forhear a few words in reply
Mr. Dabney seems inclined to shut out
possible criticism by Il somewhat con-
temptuous reference TO those who may
differ with him rs sentimental ''dreamers
with their heads above the CLOUDS"
In times like these the candid man will
welcome light from whatever quarter it
comes, and the State will at it's peril fol-
low any man who is certain that he and
ne alone is right on q question that for
the first time in the history Of the world
now confronts a people
Mr.. Dabney's article is a lengthy one,
but may perhaps be fairly condensed into
the following four points:
l Race prejudice is universal and per-
sistent and particularly strong between
-AngloSaxon and the blacks.
p This prejudice increases as races ap-
proach each other in Intelligence, wealth
ana political rights, and serious conflicts
become inevitable as the races come in
competition on these points.
>. The welfare of both races and neace
between them demands that the negro
should not come in competition with the
whites.
4 The whites owe it to both races that
they cease educating the black. for there,
and serious race conflicts" are made
inevitable
Mr.. Dabney stops here. but his arcu-
ment leads logically two points further
and he would probably admit his belief
also in the following:
5 The whites to be truly prosperous
must save themselves from comnetition
by preventing the blacks from RISING
above their present condition. and -,,ust
as far as possible still further 0'ehase
them, and
G.. Race prejudice would entirely disan-
pear ana consequent peace and prosperitv
to the whites would ensue if the blacks
could be sufficiently sunk in ignorance
and poverty. and all possible compe1i-
ton prevented.
Or to sum it up in single sentence #
seems to me that Mr.. Dabney's position.
and the position Of most Of those who
would have no more white taxation for
coloreo schools, may be put in these
words: THE white people of Vireini.
can only rise rs the negroes of Vira,nia
are debased.' Some even seem to. ~.
sumo that we can hold our present van
tase ground only by beginning at once
the debasement process. And some ner-
haps there may be who even claim that
the present convention was caIled r. IN
augurate the debasement without de,a,,,
x It is true Mr.. Dabney is not aIways
consistent in the argument as here set
down. He is willing, for instance. to AZ
low the negroes to educate each oth.r
and II one sha!i rise by his own efforts.
not explain how self-educated com
petitor is less dangerous than one who
was helped to his education by another
nor why an education acquired nv W. :,
white mans money is so much more
harmful than tne same education when
race hatred may become deadly, If onS#
race is SO incompetent as to be a ..seri-
ous' stumbling block to the other: but