Barre evening telegram. (Barre, Vt.) 1898-19??, 1901-02-09
BARRE, VI, FEBRUARY Q, 1901


AU UiC uiCCUlHS vi uIiC w dnIlluS CUu
County Veterans Association at Dewey
Park last summer noted cUnsrcsS-
ia his address pointed out as one of
the leading issues of the day and one
that is likely to cause the country
more trouble within the next few
years than any other, the great ra' c
problem Of the south. Almost forty
years ago the laws of the United
States made the negro as free AS his
brethren of lighter skin and he was
apparently given All equal opportunity
for advancement. Grace, color or pre-
vious condition otServitude" was never
more to be considered as an impedi-
ment to any man in his desire for the
possession of those qualifications which
would make him an American citizen
and the peer of every other human
being. To all intents and purposes
the former slave had a glorious fu-
ture before him. He looked
out from bis dark prison walls
of slavery and saw before him
the golden sunlight Of new day, in
which his race was to rise from it's lg-
norance and degradation to the pin
acle of wisdom and to a social and po-
litical equality with all mankind. The
practical side of tie case, however,
soon presented Itself and his brilliant
prospects gradually faded away until
nearly half a century has glided by
and he may be found today in worse
predicament Than he was at the be
ginning, indeed his condition Is
thousand times more hopeless than II
was at the close Of the Civil War. Ht
has been kept in ignorance aud ha'
grown up from the docile creature ~
once was to be q constant menace u
the peace of the country and to th'
safety of the white people OF TIM
south. A race war is in constant pro
gress and as it rolls along it increase
in volume until it will at no distan
period become far more Sc ious thar
the citizens of the north are aware or
The south has realized the situation
for long time, but with characters
tic sluggishness they have taken nj
wise steps to stem the tide Ih'
negro has been crowded out OF lnstl
buttons of learning and instead OF be
ling given the encouragement n
Ishou]d have had towards becoming
better fitted for good citizenship, n
has been made what he is by the IN
iudicious intolerance Of those who arr
now ia the greatest danger from tn
outcome. The negro has worked witt
his hands tied behind him, and tn
wonder is that he has done SO we'll
, We may sympathize With the south
ern white people in their distress
t but they have brought 1t on t.
themselves, and their only sal
Walton now is the education an
! elevation of the black man.
recent speech was made ln-the nation
/. al house of representatives by tn
only colored congressman IL. q. Whit
|, OF North Carolina sets one to thinking
on the situation as it looks to tn
+. negro. you may tie aud then taun
us for lack of bravery" said Mr.
White "but one day we may breal
the bonds. You may use labor 10
, two and a half centuries and thel
$ taunt US for our poverty, but we VII
not always remain poor. You ma.
. withhold even the knowledge of how
5 TO read God S word, and learn The way
from earth to glory and then taunt III
8 upon our ignorance, but there is al
ways plenty of room at the top, anf
we are climbing. After enforced de
bauchery and the many kindred hor
, rors incident to slavery, it comes Will
i'll grace from the perpetrators .
, these deeds to hold up the shortcom
ings of some Of our race to iiQicul'
! and scorn."