Arizona daily citizen., 1901-11-09
SOCIAL INEQUALITY.

We are indebted To Mr.. Colin Cam
eron of I.ochiel. for a late issue 81 the
philosophical London Spectator. This
influential and able journal has found
a way to solve the race problem in the
United States Whites and blacks. ad-
vises the omnisctent Spectator, should
form themselves into two castles like
the Hindoos and Mussulmans OF India,
with no intercourse except on the
common business of life The negroes
ought temporarily to be deprived OF
the ballot. but should be eligible to
every office except the Presidency. The
spectator guarantees that If the United
States will adopt its remedy the races
will develop pcaceably until the color
rules are found to be inconVcnient and
are swept away.
1t is very kind IN our English con
temporary. in view of the manifold
pcrplrxtics with which Great Britain
is confronted to offer to help us settle
our troubles With all respect for it's
good intentions. however. Americans
will probably reject its advice as i'm
practicable Great Brtains exper-
fence in dealing with race questions
has not been SO very successful that
her example can be followed without
hesitation by the United States. Caste
distinction exists In India, as the Spec
tator points out, but England does not
rely on these distinctions to maintain
her supremacy over Mussulmans and
Hindoos. There are 10000 British
troops in India, as we'll as n large ma
tive force to make the Indian brother
submissive. In Africa, where British
sovereignty has been forced upon
blacks. the British are constantly en-
gagged in tribal wars AS a matter of
fact. the only places in the British EN-
pire where caste distinctions are ac-
cepted ms both desirable and practic-
able are in the mother country. where
there are no ''color rules.
There the principle is well establish
cd that one man is superior to another
If he was born in the purple SO firmly
fixed is this principle that men become
lawmakers simply because they inherit
titles. They are leaders of society be
cause they were born to social distin[-
ton Between the titled Briton and
the average middle-class Englishman
Il, Oh, NIxrf
between the Hindoo and the Mussul-
man What is more. the Englishman
of the middle class accepts the distinc-
ton between classes with a meekness
and humility which are astonishing in
any white race.
There are many reasons why the
Spectators solution OF the race prob
lem in the United States along the line
of castes established and maintained
by law cannot be regarded with favor.
In the first place. the colored man and
brother would object most strenuously
to being segregated; in the second
place, the Constitution of the United
States makes him citizen OF the
United States with the same political
rights as those enjoyed by other citi-
zens Finally. our Declaration of In
dependence, which possibly the Spec
tator has forgotten, repudates the
caste idea and asserts the principle Of
equality.
or course no political document or
charter of government can establish
the social status of an individual or
any collection of individuals. That Is
something beyond the power of legis
lation. 1t would be absurd. for in
stance. for Congress to pass law pro-
hibiting or enforcing social relations
between certain classes of citizens.
Such law would be a dead letter.
There is no need of formal caste dis
tinctions in the United States. Social
questions are settled by the unwritten
law, and nobody desires any change in
that respect. The race problem In this
country Is undoubtedly perplexine
one. 1t can be solved, however. in a
way satisfactory to all concerned with
out drawing any more caste lines than
are already In existence. Nature Is tho
wisest and most subtle of caste max
ers, and 1t Is not necessary to supple
ment her work by man-made laws.