The Savannah morning news., 1901-01-03
TEACH THEM THE TRUTH.

Thomas E. Miller at Beaufort, S. c., on
the occasion of the celebration of Eman-
cipation Day on Tuesday contain food
for thought on the part of other leaders
of the colored race; and they also give
promise of a better understanding be-
tween the races during the years to come.
Prof. Council is a member of the faculty
of the colored agricultural and mechan-
ical college OF Alabama, and ex-Congress-
man Miller is president of the South
Carolina state colored college. Each is
in a position, therefore to impress the
thinking portion of the race. 1t is to be
hoped that their influence will become
more widespread and their following
stronger, for it appears that they know
the truth and have the courage to tell it.
A serious drawback among colored
leaders has been that they have not been
Independent in speech and politics. They
have been Influenced by race prejudice to
suppress the truth, or else have sup
pressed it because the teaching of it
might interfere with their personal ambi-
tions. To illustrate the latter points
Some years since a well-known colored
preacher was asked why he didn't tell the
members of his flock of their faults, and
urge them to stop telling falsehoods, steal
ing and living in adultery. Gle replied
that he knew that they were a bad lot,
but If he were to talk to them as they
deserved to be talked to. they would
run him out of the church" On an
other occasion the history of colored
church in this state was about to be pub
lished The volume was to be embel-
lished with the portraits of the colored
pastor, his deacons and stewards; but be-
fore it was ready for delivery, four of the
six officers whose pictures were in the
book had been put in Jail for various Of
lenses. 1t is a Characteristic Of the race
that all negroes are ladies and gentle
men," whether they be murderers, rob-
bers, cbicken-thieves, or what not. There
Is no social differentiation between the
good and the bad. The disreputable
loafer, liar and thief is called gentle
man." and when he gets into trouble he
is nearly always sympathized with and
defended by the people of his color. There
nave been numerous instances in which
the most despicable and brutal criminals
have been upheld and defended by the
colored people merely because their skins
were black and the officers of the law
who had TO deaf With them were white
men.
There are among the colored people men
of ability, education and information who
L, f,,II hot ho orif of
the leaders of the race have fallen far
short of always speaking the truth re-
specting the relations between the
whites and the blacks in the South 1t
is the duty of these men, of whom Booker
Washington, Council and Miller, are good
representatives,, to teach what has been
done for the black race by the white, in
the way of education, civilization and en-
lightenment. Slavery itself was not an
unmitigated evil, even from the stand
point of the negro. Did it not rescue him
from the darkest savagery, cannibalism
and idolatry, and give him the benefits
of the most advanced and benign civiliza-
ton in the world? Does history show
another instance of a savage people be-
ing so quickly civilized as the blacks who
were brought to the United States? Had
it not been for the slave trade-admitting
all of it's horrors-the blacks would have
still been running wild and naked in the
forests of Africa instead of teaching and
preaching and working and. reading and
enjoying life in the United States. No
| subject race since the creation ever re-
ceived such considerate treatment as was
! accorded to the slaves of the South by
their white masters; and since the eman-
cipation, the faults of the inferior race
have been condoned, and money has been
poured out by the whites for negro edu-
cation.
1t is a hBpeful sign that Council, Miller
and few other prominent negroes are
telling their people the truth about
themselves; making them see their faults
instead of ignoring them, and telling them
how to live better lives and be better
neighbors. The negroes are not a bad
people. considering the short time that
has elapsed since they were savages. The
Southern white people understand the
disadvantages they have labored under,
and appreciate the progress they have
made They edo not feel hostility to-
wards them as race in any stronger de-
gree than that natural racial prejudice
which exists among all peoples. The
lynching of a negro rapist is not an at
tack upon the race, but upon that par
ticular Individual. Southern white men
are brought up with the blacks. They
know them intimately, and find in them
many good qualities They give them fair
play and abundant opportunities to make
living. which is more than the blacks
receive in any other part of the country
These are truths which are known and
should be taught by the coored leaders
1t seems that the twentieth century
spirit of brotherly love has not yet penc-
trnted into the dark corners of Boston.
The late eX-Gov. Wolcott was a Unitarian
He was buried the other day from Trim
ity Chapel, an Episcopal house of wor-
ship Unitarian minister officiating Now
the Rev. Father Osborne. a high church
| Episcopalan. says that permitting the
Unitarian minister to enter Trinity and
conduct servicesl there was a dissertation