The Washington bee., 1902-11-15

ing passion of the race) to such an ex-
tent that with US it is generally believ-
ed that the comparatively educated
black woman is more anxious for mu-
latto children than her less fastidious
and more ignorant sisters.
In referring to the evidences of i'm
morality among colored girls the de-
tense is sometimes made that they are
too poor to hide their shame end so
get the stigma of being what they act
ually are. This is undoubtedly true
when We consider the fact that it
would take one ''infirmary" in everv
country in the Southern States, be-
sides extra ones in the large cities, 10
furnish refugees for them.
After all the most remarkable eVi.
dence of the inferiority ofthis race IS
proved by the fact that they show their
pest qualities as servants. And they
are the only Americans Of whom this
may be said. They are dociIe, respe ctful
and submissive to any reasonable show
of authority. Their chief faults in this
capacity are childish-such as the lack
of the sense of responsibility, self-oro-
tecting deceits, and a disposition to
"take things" Nearly all Of them are
moderate thieves, but they rarely steal
anything except food and pretty trihes.
But when we consider that there are
hungry children in the cabin awaiting
their mothers return, it is more natur-
al than wicked for them TO take
things" When give out my meals
| bear these little blackbl rry pickann-
nj S in mind, and never wound the
FaaIap0ve Of lnnly L
"What that is she has under her ap-
rom" as she hurries home in the eve
ming looking very voluminous. kHOW
what it is-eyerv biscuit, scrap of
meat, or bit of cake she can save dur
ing TN day, and if possible a little
sugar flched from the pantry. Even
now recall with what amazement as a
child | heard our cook, "Aunt Lettie," ,"
CrOaking like half strangled fowl as
she passed me one evening when there
was TO be "het supper" given some
where on the plantation. But when we
discovered twenty-five widowed hens
IN the poultry yard the next morning,
on account of the miraculous disap-
pearance of the Plymoutl Rock rOOS-
ster, my mother placed a sinister con.
StTuctlon upon "Aunt Lettie's" per
formance. With her theft from the
whites was the back side of a philan-
thIOpiC instinct towards ner own peo-
pie. And | once had curious expla-
nation given of this race defect which
believe is held to in one form or an
other by negroes of every class and
condition: | was provoked into chiding
the cook for stealing too much of the
salad" Why 90 you take things,
Mary?"
Hits dis way, Miss Sarah, ne all
thinks we is got the right to take from
yOU all dis as much as our daddies and
mammies was worth endurin' slavery
times !" Mary is a prominent woman
in her church. a class leader, eloquent
in prayer and fervent in spirit. She is
also the mother of two illegitimate
children, one black. the other yellow.
Much has been said of the white
mans injustice 10 the negro, and much
more will be said, but proofs are abun-
dant that the negro, regnant, would be
far less ScrupulouS than the white man
has ever been. His very nature is alien
to US as ours is to him, and tho a
white man saved his life he would en-
tertain no sense of loyalty or gratitude
in return. | recall an old black man
whose hands and breast are hideously
SCARED from fall in the fire when he
was a child. 1t so happened that his
mistress rescued him and was so NOV
ed by his suffering that she had him
placed on cot il her own room where
she saw that he we was properly cared
for until he recovered. But six years
later, when Sherman marched through
Georgia, he went to the Union camp,
showed his breast and hands, declar-
ing that the cars were the result of
torture inflicted by his mistress, for
which cause he begged the privilege
of being allowed TO set the torch TO her
barns that were to be burned that
night. My own experiences with the
negro, tho less tragic, have invariably
proved the same traits of character.
And while | do not know whether
the negro is capable of vi tue, nobility
and all the finer qualities TO be found
in the Higher races, honest expert
ments and lamentable failures have
worn the missionary off my conscience
with dealing them. Ihave no plans for
their redemption, and their pretentions
bore me. A people whom education
seems to make more dependent upon
their benefactors, who demand to be
saved not only from slavery, but from
ignorance, poverty and vice through
the heroism, sacrifices and philanthre-
py of another race, scarcely seem to
me worth the candle. They have no
initiative. They can be martyrs, but
not heroes. They have no natural gen
ius for holding together and erecting
themselves into some sort of power
They are intelligent, but not capable
They are affectionale, but not loyal.
They are fast becoming desperate and
revengeful, but they are incapable OF
holding to one fixed purpose, and their
moral courage does not increase. Most
Of them complain of persecution en-
dured because they are black, but few
Of them are ready to suffer for a body
of redemptive principals, or TO die to
preserve the sanctity of their homes.
THE End