Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1901-06-29
The Pot AND TaE RAE CUES.
TON

THE Washington, d. c., Posr goes TO
the riot OF the matter when under the
caption Of Too Much of the Negro
Question" it says:
"Fhere is M Negro question of any
great importance that cannot be SOW.
ed by the very simplest of processes.
We have only TO treat the N-groes ur-
l der general rules applying ALIKE to all
other classes of our heterogeneous pop
| ulation and psy 40 further attention
20 them Is Negroes"
| The above suggestion is rs simple as
the rule OF thIea" II the white peo-
pie Of TN country were guided there
by, the end would be in sight.
1t is equivalent to saying we have a
Negro question, because we make the
Negro 8 gu aston.
| The Posr asks:
"Whv should we concern ourselvas
ab Ut the Negro any more than abou
the Sicilian, the MslaV, the German.
the Russian. or the Portuguese? Why
should thev be segregated and set
apart as specially favored people? I,
is true that for two or three centuries
they were slaves but they have been
iree Tor tocty years, and during thai
period they have eBi ryed The same ad-
vsntsges OF education and opportuni-
ties Uf improvements that have been
onered the whites. IL is a fact, in
oetd, that nine tenths of the G I'M
plant and agitation proceed from Ne
groes who we're born free, whiIe the
Few survivors of slavery are as q rule
we'll conJeDted with their lot The
truth is that dispassionste examinn
Slon OF their present attitude reveals
more OF prefer 50 of superiority thar
petition fr equally. They maxi
the Negro question ihems alvps with
an iDpud- Dt and c'smorous dem and
Tor what they cali recognition
The Posi- continues:
"rhe state owes nothing to the Ne
gro more than to any other citizsn-
nat IL co say. IL owes projection of his
NE and property, equal rights before
the law, equal facilities OF education
We do not approx on the contrary,
we deplore and denounce-t1e exctu
sion OF the Negro from the ballot b 4
| merely bscsuse or his rsse aud collar.
/ 10 our opiBioF, the iIliterate, shiftIess
aud irresponsible whites make lust a.
bad citizens % do Negroes OF TIE same
kind Suffrage laws should not dis
csimipate TneY should take noe OF
all dis qusiiticstions, mental, mural, or
material, and apply them TO whites
and % acks alike. Under that arrsnpr.
ment-snd il prevails in nearly every
part of the counsry-the Negro has no
excuse for annoying his neighbors
with childish reprosches aud recrimi
atoms. LII he wan to become a can
| italist. let him set about is as white
men have had to do; IL he wants 60
get into society, let him make himself
eligible and acceptable to those who
introl its entrances de will ne YER
become rich by loating about and Iiy.
irg on the wages OF confiding cooAs
and chamb armsids. nor will he sBdsar
himself to s'ciety by sticking out his
uoder lip and looking for q easus .bellI
every hour Of the day."
We endorse every word contained in
tne above quot ton. II is the b .sic
principle which the coIored people of
the country ss q whole will recognise
it IS all that We have demanded, and
IL the entire question were in the
hands OF the PosT, We should rest CON
tented that oar fondest dreams were
being realized
Boz, mark you, Mr.. P. ST, we venture
the assertion that you will not fiod
three leading Democratic journals ip
the Southland which will subscribe TO
the declaration OF principles which
you have so boldly announced.
1t continues;
None OF this sppIies to the honest.
industrious, anu sel'-=es Secting color
ed people. who can be found In hmm.
dreds OF thousands between the Poto.
mac or Gulf of Ne xieo. 1t applies to
the pushing, impertinent, halted ucat-
ed, and wholly futile Negroes who ars
making all this tiresome noise,
Amy one who has read history
knows that there il no royal road 40
wealth, power, greatness, influence
Tor any race or class. The race that
rules more than half the civilized
world to-day lived in caves like the
bears z COO years ago. The Lasins who
rule the rest of il knew the me amin
or civilization only q few centuries
earlier. Egypt was the examplar Of
culture, the arts and sciences. when
all the Csu,asiau races were sseeped
IN hideous and appalling barbarian.
But none OF these races rose TO emf
nenee aud domination by complaining
of jus ice ard persecution. What theV
got they earned. What they received.
tbs were entitled to. Nations. peo.
pies, individuals stand or fall upon
their merits. Social evolution is not
Affected BY silly cutlery aud peevish
lame n tation.
We are weary of this Negro cues
tion.' IL is nonsense"
We are gratiflsd to know that it ia |
we'ry, and if the country will take the |
same view of it. as does the Washing.
ton Pcsr, all OF the clamor and misreD. |
will hava oo,,,o a.