The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1901-11-21
Attitude OF The South
TOWARD THE NEGRO AS ONE Of THE RACE
UNDERSTANDS IT.

Views on the Subject IS Expressed by
President w. h. Council, Of the
Colored Agricultural and Mechani.
cal College, at Normal, Ala.-A Man
Perhaps Better Qualified to Speak
on the Race Problem From the
Standpoint of the Negro Than Any
Other Member of His Race.
Nashville, Tenn, Nov. 29.-Prof.
w. H. Council, president of the Col
ored Agricultural and Mechanical
College At Normal, Ala, has given an
expression OF his views on the subject
OF tho Observation-Disclosures dinner
and the educated negro and social
equality. Prof. Council is perhaps
better qualified to speak on the race
problem from the standpoint of the
negro than any other member of his
race. He begins by saying:
Il must decline to discuss the
recent dinner. 1t seems to me that
ordinary wisdom suggests \ dsmissal
of the White House dinner affair.
Common charity demands the view
that neither party to that incident
had the remotest desire to tear down
the social barriers between the races
in this country. l desire to take this
view"
Continuing Prof. Council says he
fears 1.-the white people Of this coun-
try do not understand the better ele-
ment of negroes on this question,
The educated negro does not only not
seek social equality with the white
race but he fights against it. He
sees written everywhere that the
Anglo-Saxon has got a determination
to resist social intercourse with races
of inferior condition. This antipathy
to racial intercourse is stronger in the
Anglo-Saxon than in any other people
on the globe. Where the blood Of the
Anglo-Saxon is purest there the an
tipathy is greatest. Therefore, for two
reasons it is stronger in the South
than in the North.
1T 10 folly to irritate the South on
this question. 1t has thoroughly
settled this matter in it's mind and
crystalized it in it's laws. 1t is in
stilled into every white child from
the cradle to the grave. As l have
said, the white South has considered
this question for itself. Any con-
trary opinion from the outside is not
only met with unanimous opposition,
but arouses and embitters Southern
sentiment against the negro although
the negro may be an innocent party
in the discussion. 1t requires no
great acuteness or wisdom to see
clearly that the white South has de-
termined two things which it will
support with its lifs's blood; first, re-
sist all attempts at social admixturss
Of the races, whether by legal enact
ment or social suffrage; second, to
rule in all political affairs with tho
ballot or the bullet.
The South is never stintsd in its
contributions to negro industry, edu-
cation and religion. No people meet
the appeals Of charity for the negro
with warmer and more liberal hearts.
1t aids in all right and proper ways
in the elevation of tho negro.
The negro educator is a giant.
Now for the negro to step from the
school-room into politics is step
from strength to weakness. For a
negro to step over the social lines is
to step from life to death.
'It is also plain to every thinking
mind that the very salvation OF the
negro depends upon rigid observa-
ton and enforcement OF social dis
tinction in the South. There may
come a time when the good OF the
races will admit the obliteration OF
these time-honored customs, but |
cannot see it now"