The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-05-26
succeed In any cosmopolitan American
community.
ARE WE ANY RETTERr

ARE WE ANY BETTERr
1t is now very. generally recognized as
true that the race problem in the South
toward settlement by mere force OF nom
interference by outside influence The
problem itself will never be completely
adjusted as long as the two races reside
! side by side in such numbers as they
do at present in the South But by mu-
tual concession and by the consistent
and intelligent pursuit of the policy of
industrial education and training toward
! the Southern coIored man permanent
peace and good will may be maintained
The question of color has invaded the
North. This side of Mason and Dixon's
the relative rights of black and white
come up from time to time in such man
! ner as to show that the Southern white
man has no monopoly of prejudice
against his black brother.
Are We outside the South any more
willing to yield social equality or equal
lty OF opportunity to the colored folk?
If we are not why are we not. and how
can we make orr refusal consistent with
our criticisms of the South for its treat
ment of the colored man?
These inquiries must suggest them
selves from time to time to everybody
who reads the newspapers. Every other
day we are brought up against some
incident or other which reveals beyond
successful concealment that the colored
man in the North is the victim of race
prejudice quite as generally as he is in
the South
How are We to regard the negro topical
songs which have been so generally in
vogue among us for two or three years.
On any basis which implies that we look
upon the negro as social equal? Do
they not proclaim that we regard him as
an altogether inferior being and one
against whom we can launch popular
wit and ridicule without thought of re-
straintc
A few days ago a very accomplished
musician employed as teacher III the
free schools of New York, was assigned
by the superintendent under a rece Mt
law to act as supervisor of musical in
struction. At once protest was made
by the principals, eighteen in number, in
whose schools ne was detailed to act
The supervisor was a young colorad
man. That was the cause and the only
cause of the protest. That protest has
since been backed up by every teacher in
the eighteen schools 1t will, too, be sus-
tanned by the principals ard teachers in
all the other schools. If 1t ever reaches
the paSents of the children attending
those schools it will be sustained by
them, as the school authorities of New
York all recognize. .7- s.4r-,v
This is but an incident, but IT, is a
very expressive one. The many social.
religious and public hypocrisies and false
pretenses which attend our daily lives
are generally. recognized by all men and
women Of the world. Our relations to the
colored people living among us must be
recognized as one of these We are will
ing they should vote; but that is about
all we are willing they should do in COM
mon with ourselves of the things that
constitute the chief privileges of respon-
sible society.
When next there is an outburst of pas
sionate remonstrance in the press against
some incident of Southern iIl-treatment
of the colored man, it will be well if we
try to reflect upon our own real attitude
toward the man and brother before we
Join in the cry for Southern crucihxIon.