The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1901-11-19
BAD LOGIC.
Of The Times:

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Editor Of The Times:
Sir-we quite agree with your view Us
expressed in your editorial of yesterday,
entitled Both Sides OF the Negro Qaes-
ton" that the question of division OF me
school funds should receive earnest ana
thoughtful consideration before Bang
adopted There is little doubt that the
adoption of the plan would result IN the
gradual emigration OF the negro from
Virginia but we are not quite convinced
that this would be a bad policy Intre
are reasons for the belief that the negro
problem will find its final solution north
of Mason and Dixon's line. You ADMIT
the distinction when you say eliminate
the negro from politics and he Is a de-
sirabe citizen which carried 10 It's uili-
mate means TO eliminate him from every
thing else. when 1t suits the convenience
or the philosophy of the whites. rms
position necessarily makes the negro u
citizen by the sufferancc of the whites
rather than by the inalienable right OF q
freeman to enjoy the rights OF citizen
ship in the land of his birth. We hatS
Slavery in any form. We have the deep
lest sympathy for any people that is SO
unfortunate as to be placed among d
stronger race, because oppression mus.
follow. We deplore race strife whether
at be factional disturbance in the United
States or determination i'll Hayh. once
admitting as you do, that the negro
SHOULD be deprived of any OF the rights
and irnmunities of citizenship, the cues
lion resolves itself into one of how mucn
privilege the whites will grant him
Forever afterward, Whatever he may en-
JOY is by toleration-not by right
Your premise shat we cannot degrade
the negro without degrading ourselves IS
obviously sound. But do we degrade the
negro when we recognize the natural law
that has divided the write and black
races and placed each race on its own re-
iSpo1sibilty?
There are two theories: 1st. That man
Is a family to which all races belong: I'd.
That each race is separate and distinct
end that each race is a separate family
distinct from every other race.
The first theory is that man is homo
Eeneous. The second theory is that each
race is homogeneous. but that the dif-
ferent races are heterogeneous we
subscribe to the second theory and hold
that there can be no more community OF
interest between the different races of
man than there can be between the lion,
the tiger, the leopard and the cat, all of
which belong to the feline species. We
cannot disregard natural law; if we Try
lit. we find to our- sorrow that it pro-
Tides its own penalties and there is ab-
solutely no way to dodge It's eSecutionef.
NTOG IpIfDu lIldi Int iotdtS SllOuiu w
wrong. But the State cannot do the ia
possible. II cannot harmonic incongru-
Gus elements. The negro is here. and be
1t said in his favor that he did not come
of his own Yalition. and the problem
must be met, but ii should be met With
reason and justice Considering the nat-
,Iral distinction between the races cacn
should be treated fairly. The STATE should
mot make the, negro n slave for the White
M slDf-Il II VI a 1a white
Z, slave for the negro. Owe are not now
referring TO the sociological questions IN
VOWED, but TO the action Of the State).
The sociaiiStic or governmental prine!
1}le can only be applied when there is a
community interest, and such not being
the case with the races. considered to-
sether. the State should deal with them
separately. 1t then becomes the duty CT
the State to see that each race has the
advantages Of governmental action III the
proportion that X contributes to that re-
salt. The assumption Of the duty Of edu-
cation by the State can only be jUsti-
ried upon the grounds that education IS
rood public policy ana that the States
saction Will be more effective than iudi-
ridual action. This being true. the State
should educate The children OF the white
race with taxes paid by the white race
and should educate the children of HE
negro race with the taxes paid by The
nsSro race. Wherein lies any injustice
- either race in the States action? Be-
cause the white man has burdened him
self for thirty wears with the negro is
no reason that he should continue TO 90
so If the negro will rise, by all means
let him do so. but there is absolutely no
reason why the white man should devclGp
HIM The policy OF the Sta te S.iould be
gust, hGt should keep its hands off fur
sheH than seeing that absct,;.e Justice IS
done. and leave each race to work out its
rwn destiny and find its own level.
No one hopes more devout,y than we
e. tat The result viii ba the elevation
of both races aud that the competition
NIL 2.odace higher dea!s, hut the ~e-
rorded history OF thousands OF years is
ryainSt his view
a. Il. THOMAS
Lynchburg. Va. Nov. 10th.
This is most plausible reasoning, and,
unfortunately, Mr. Thomas is not alone
Ia his vicw of tho case. But that sort OF
reasoning IS utterly at variance with the
rar,iii:al principles of democratic govern
ntent How can we have q democracy
rid yet draw distinctions src, as these
II we arc going to let each and every
rGce take care OF itself, if that is to be
E1 established principle of our govern
nent, we cannot draw the line at tie
lack race and t:,e white race. The dis
tsnction t.rst be between al races.
But granting that il should be as Mr.
Thomas suggests: granting, thct there are
pniy ;wo races TO deal with. one With
hrhite skin AID tbs other with yellow
Skin, ar. Thomas doctrine is st:Il As
Faulty as i; can be. lie says that lit
Is the duty OF the State to see that each
race has the advantages of governmental
action in the proportion that it contri-
tates TO that result" That being The
case, the negroes should be made to
support their own asylulrs for ms gro in
zane. They should be made to maintain
iaeir own city parks ard wate--works
md every other convenience, and denied
lie right TO enjoy anything in govert.-
mti,t that is created 1,y tho white ,,,,r