Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1902-09-08

of our independence. Slavery was bound
NJ it's own weight to fall. Virginia came
within one vote in her assembly of Free
ing her slaves years before the war. But
Cor the frenzy of your abolition zlnatics
who first sought to destroy the union by
secession. and then forced secession on
the south. we would have freed the
alaves before this without war, from
the very necessity of the progress of the
material world, to say nothing of its NOR
al progress. We fought for the rights we
held under the old constitution, made by
n slave-holding aristocracy. But we coll
lided with the resistless movement of hui
manity from the idea Of local sovereign
] ty toward. nationalism, Capitalization,
solidarity"
That's why I say" interrupted the
deacon, your negro question has already
been settled The nation has become
reality not a name"
And that is why know, deacon" in
sisted the preacher. that we have not
only settled this question-we have even
faced the issues. Nationality demands
solidarity. And you can never get solid
arity in a nation of equal rights out of
two hostile races that do not. intermarry.
In a democracy you cannot build ma
ton inside of a nation Of two antagonis-
tic races, and therefore the future Amer
lean must be either an Anglo-Saxon or
mulatto. And If a mulatto will the fu-
II never thought of 1t in just that way"
answered the deacon.
"It is my work to maintain the racial
absolutionism of the Anglo-Saxon in the
south, economically"
But can It be done? I see many evil
dences of a mixture of blood already"
said the deacon seriously.
Yes, we are doing It, This mixture
you observe has no social significance.
! for a simple reason. 1t is all the result
of the surviving polygamous and law
less instincts of the white male. Unless
by the gradual encroachments of time,
culture, wealth and political exigencies,
the time comes that a negro shall be al
lowed freely TO choose white woman
for his wife, the racial integrity remains
intact. The right TO choose ones mate
| Is the foundation of racial life and civih-
cation. The south must guard with fam
ing sword every avenue of approach to
this holy of HOLES. And there are many
subtle forces at work to obscure these
possible approaches"
well. no matter'i broke in the dea-
con. come with us. and you will have
more power to touch with your ideas the
wealth and virtue of the whole nation"
The preacher was silent for moment
and seemed to be musing in a sort of
half dream. The deacon looked at him
with a growing sense of the hopelessness
OF his task but of surprise at this reve-
/ lation of the secrets of his inner life.
The south has been voiceless in these
| later years" he went on, cher voice has
been drowned in a din of cat-calls from
an army Of cheap scribblers and dema-
/ gogues But when these children we are
! rearing down here grow. rocked in their
cradles of poverty. nurtured in the fierce
struggle to save the life of a mighty race,
/ they will find speech. and their songs Will
! ill the world with pathos and power
"rve studied your greet cities. Believe
me the south is worth saving. Against
1 the possible day when a food of foreign
anarchy threatens the foundations of the
! republic and men shall laugh at the
! faiths of your fathers, and undigested
wealth beyond the dreams OF avarice rots
] your society. until 1t mocks at honor,
: love and God-against that day we will
/ preserve the south!'
The preachers voice was now vibrating
with deep feeling and the deacon listen
i ed With breathless interest.
| Believe me. dear deacon. the ark OF
/ the covenant of American ideals rests to-
/ day on the Appalachian mountain range
of the south. When your metropolitan
mobs shall knock at the doors of your
life and demand the reason of your exist
ence, from these poverty stricken homes,
with their old-fashioned. perhaps me-
| diaeval ideas viii come forth the fierce
athletic sons and sweet-faced daughters
in whom the nation will find new
| BIRTH" The preachers eyes had filled
/ with tears and his voice dropped into a
! low dream-like prophecy.
you cannot understand" he resumed,
/ in q clear voice. why 1 feel so pro-
foundly depressed just now because the
! Republican party. which, with you stands
/ for the virtue. wealth and intelligence of
the community, is now in charge of this
state. I will tell you why. A Republican
a. ,sv,fc IN Nnrfh Caroline Gf tN1xr
means a negro oligarchy. The state. is
now being debauched and degraded by
this fact in the innermost depths of its
character and life. My place is here in
this fight"
But, doctor. will not your industrial
| training of the negro gradually minimize
any danger to your society,""
mo. IL will gradually increase it. In
dustrial training gives power If the no.
gro ever becomes a serious competitor of
the white laborer in the industries of the
south. the white man will kill him. just
as your labor unions do In the north now
where the conditions of life are hard,
and men fight with tooth and nail for
bread. If you train the negroes to be
scientific farmers they will become a race
OF aristocrats. and when five generations
removed from the memory of slavery,
war of races will De inevitable. unless the
Anglo-Saxon grant this trained and veal
thy African equal social rights. The An
glo-Saxon cannot do this without suicide.
One drop of negro blood makes a ne
gro"
IT can't tell you how sorry am, doc
tor, that can't persuade you to become
our pastor. But can understand since
this talk something of the larger views
OF your duty"
The deacon sought Mrs. Durham that
evening and laid siege to her resolutely.
"Ahi deacon, you're shrewd-you are
going to fiatter me, but can't let you.
I'm an old fogy and out of date. I'm not
orthodox on the negro from Boston's
point OF view"
"Nonsenser' growled the deacon. 1--WE
don't care what you or the doctor either
think about the negro, or the Jap. or the
Chinaman We want a preacher imbued
with the power of the Holy Ghost to
preach the gospel of Christ"
well, you have quite captured me
/ since you have been here. You are a rev.
elation to me of what a deacon might be
! to a pastor and his wife. To be frank
with you. l am on your side. I am tired
of the negro. don't want to solve him.
He is an impossible job from my point
OF view. I should be delighted 10 go
to Boston now and begin life over again.
But 1 don't figure in the decision. DR..
/ Durham settles such questions for him
self. And I respect him more for it."
| Encouraged by this decision of his wife
the deacon renewed his efforts TO change
the preachers mind next day in vain. He
stayed over Sunday, heard him preach
| nd corroxvfrtllxr baH i'm