The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1902-01-11
OPENING THEIR EYES.

publican newspaper published ID
New Orleans, commenting on the
race riots in New York 90 Christmas
Eve and the article OF the New York
Post on the subject, says:
That there is vast difference be-
tween theory and practice Is demon.
strated DIV the following remarks OF
the New York Post relative to inc
race conflict which occurred on
| Christmas Eve at Harlem. The Fost
says: r.,o
yesterdays race riot in Harlem
again exemplifies the growing danger
arising out of the settlement OF large
numbers of negroes in this and other
Northern cities. In this case the
nol,ce seem as usual to have sided
with men of their own color, and,
without waiting to ascertain the right
mr. wrong of their action, to have
dubbed the negroes wherever found.
Fortunately, they did not commit
such great excess as disgraced the
force in the riots of Aug 10, 1900,
though tendency to undue violence
was certainly manifested, il the press
accounts are to be trust ed.=>5sBut the
dangers arising out OF the colonial
ton of many negroes in this city are
not confined to friction with their
white fellow. citizens or with the
police. Herded together as they are
in overcrowded tenements, there is
very little incentive, either in them
selves or in their surroundings, to
live other than a demoralized and
degraded life,. so that their settle
ments menace the health and the
morals of the city. Since there is no
possibility OF excluding them, even
il it were morally proper to do so,
the Northern cities affected must,
sooner or later, grapple vigorously
aud scientifically with the problem
of their presence. Some few public
1 spirited men and women have al
ready begun the work Of education
by founding kindergartens, but the
needs of the situation are so great as
/ to make it seem extraordinary that
the many generous New Workers in
terested 10 negro education at the
South have never paused to consider
the problem at their own doors"
4 The above remarks embrace 6
4 whole volume OF history, covering
nearly forty years since the day when
the South WAS compelled to face The
situation now becoming so familiar tt
the North. The settlement of Large
numbers of negroes in this aud Other
Northern cities" is growing dan
(. GER" says the Post. Then why is i
not greater growing danger il
Southern cities, towns and villages
and why should the South be con
demned for taking precautions
against an admitted danger?
The police "seem as usual to have
sided with men of their own color,
observes the Post. Then why con
denim officials at the South who leal
so often towards their own color
Is it not human nature all the worlt
over? "There is very little incen
tive either in themselves or in thei
surroundings to live other than de
moralized and degraded life, so tha
their settlements menace the health
| and the morals of the city''-is tn
sad conclusion of the eminent New
York journal. The South takes NJ
pleasure in such belated confession
as to the inevitable and persisten
conflict and antipatby of the white
and negroes. 1t regrets that to
facts are such as they are, but it j
pardonable to reflect that the East
North ard West, which have regard
. ed the race question from theoreti
cal standpoint are now acknowledg
ing on all sides that they have neve
understood it until the large migra
ton Of negroes to the great elite
f brought them in contact with condi
tions which defy all ordinary rule
of civilization. The problem is nov
at the door of the North. Our breth
rem up there have solved part Q
! the problem by denying suffrage t
the District of Columbia because c
its enormous negro, population, an
by denying negro suffrage in effec
, to the colored races of Hawaii an
!. the PHILIPPINES. What will be thei
r next step!