The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1901-04-20

/ ana SOCluI SSCleINc
! II has been holding its flfth an
| nual meeting in Philadel-
phia. The papers of that city report
that its closing session, on Saturday
afternoon last, was devoted to- dis
cussion of race problems in the South
and in the West Indies. The Ledger
calls 1t an "enlightening discussion"
From one point of view II may ln
called "enlightening." That Is as to
the determination Of Southern whites
to keep the negro out of all powers Of
government or exercise of the fran.
ckise. The enlightenment" on thHt
subject was not an original outbEst.
The action of Southern legislatures has
already thrown a ray of blue fire. as
OF sulphurous emanations. into the at
| mosphere of national politics. The
| speakers on Saturday afternoon were
all from the Southern states. There
| fore the discussion. so called, was an
| absolutely one-sided business, and the
enlightenment was solely another
statement of the Southern white sem
timents which have brought about the
call upon congress to attend at its
next assembling to bringing the repre-
sentation Of Southern states down to
| constitutional requirements.
Hilary A. Herbert, of Alabama, eX-
| secretary of the navy. gave his opinion
! that "the great mistake of the nine-
teenth century was universal suffrage
and the Fifteenth amendment" He
| announced that it was a wrong to the
| negro because it interfercd with "his
habits Of industry acquired while a
slave; and a wrong to the white man
| because "after a few years experience
he came to the conclusion that in order
| to save his civilization it was neces-
! sary to defraud the negro at cleo
tons
George II. Winston. president Of the
North Carolina College of Agriculture
and Mechanic Arts. announced that
| Reconstruction offers the saddest pic
| ture in the annals of the English
speaking race" People who arc not
| wholly blinded by race prejudice know
that that "saddest picture" was sup
piled by slavery in the South. He
went on to remark that "the two races
were closer together under slavery than
they have been since" In a most inn
moral and undesirable way only is that
true. Also it may be incidentally re-
marked that. as the white slave owner
had the power of life or death over his
slave-no negro being allowed to test-
f.; if slave was killed-the reports did
not get into the public prints. as lynch
ings do now.
w. f. Is. Du Bos. professor In
Atlanta university, closed the one sided
discussion in what from the brief re-
port of his address. appears to have
been milder strain. insisting only
on what all true friends of the negro
are working for-his better industrial
education.
Booker 4. Washington. the great ne
gro educator and leader, president of
Tuskegee Institute, sent by mail pa
per to be read on this same race prob
lem" in the South. The reports in
genuously state that 'it will be pub
lished in the annals of the academy"
safely out of the way of the general
reading public, smothered so far as the
academy can do so. But Booker Wash
inston's work and words for his race
cannot be smothered. They stand out
already in the clear light of his coun-
try's and. the worlds knowledge and
Appreciation. He is worthy to bear the
hcnored name of THE Father of His
Country"