The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1902-02-27

Kansas City Star, Sunday, January Goth
The negro probl,m in the United
States is the subject matter of prob
lem historical novel by the Rev.
Thomas Dixon, Jr. The book is now
in press and will be issued in three
weeks by Doubleday, Page & Co., Of
New York City. Mr. Dixon was at
the Coates house yesterday on his
way to fill lecture dates at Marion,
Peabody and MCPHERSON, in Kansas,
and points in Colorado. The Leop-
ards Spots" is the name OF the novel.
Mr.. Dixon has been engaged on it for
two years.
Il was born in North Carolina
which is the scene Of my story" said
Mr.. Dixon. "A great part OF my
youth was passed there, and | am
consequently thoroughly familiar
with every phase of social and poli,i-
cal life treated in the story. 1t is 4
political story, with a strong love
story woven into it. 1t is written
from the standpoint of the Southern
white man and includes the period Of
time from the surrender of Lee in
1865 and the enfranchisement OF the
negro to the riots and bloodshed that
accompanied his disfranchisement in
North Carolina two yearsago. | ad-
vance no theories or opinions Of my
own in the book, though. Of course,
the negro problem is discussed by my
character. Of necessity. 1t is simply
q presentation in story form OF the
conditions as they exist with absolute
historical accuracy.
TWO GREAT QUESTIONS.
And let me tell you how | worked
to get that accuracy. | have been a
student of this question for twenty
years. | have long realized what
Frederick W. Harrison. the English
philosopher, found on his visit here
six months ago. Said Mr.. Harrison:
There are two great questions that
shadow the future of America, and
they are the war between labor and
capital and the war between the negro
and the Anglo-Saxon.' When l made
up my mind two years ago to write
this story L began by reading all the
| books | could find, not only directly
bearing on the matter. but collateral
| to it. | read over two hundred
volumes in this way and then visited
North Carolina. There l found thai
l knew next to nothing Of what |
wanted. began reading newspaper
| files. For three months l read the
leading daily newspapers of North
Carolina, published from 1865 to 1876,
including twenty three volumes,
Then | went to work on my plot.
When l had the plot completed in 500
or 600 pages Of notes. l began on my
manuscript. l wrote the story in
1SO, 900 words in about two months,
and then spent two months more in
cutting it down to 10000 words.
have since read it six times in proof.
| There are certain parts of the
storv," said Mr.. Dixon, '.that might
almost lead you to believe it was in
spired by the dining Of Booker Wash
ington by President Roosevelt, bu,
almost tho entire book was in type be-
fore that.
The refrain Of the whole story il
that the future American must bt
either an AngloSaxon or a mulatto
that there is no reconciling the essen
tial difference between the negro anc
tho Anglo-Saxon; that one drop O.
negro blood makes a negro; that We
cannot, as We are trying to do, builc
up 4 nation within 8 nation of two
absolutely opposing races; that it i
| =
Democracy OF which equality is th'
law Of life, and that the North hss NJ
more idea of giving the negro socia
equality than has the South.
Perhaps the best exposition Of thu
tenor OF the story may be found il
certain extracts from it that contain
parts Of discussions OF political cond
ton. between my hero 'Charls
CASTOR - of whom, by the way
Charles Aycock, the present Gov
ernor Of North Carolina, is the origi
nal-and John Durham a Baptis
preacher, who has his real counter
part in the Rev. J. ID. Hufham, nov
living at Henderson, n. G. Thi
preacher is one of the dominating
character. Of the book, the powe
who finally makes Charles CASTOR th
political leader and Governor of th'
State. In explaining plan Of th
opposition, led by Mcleod an eX
Kuklux and Republican leader, Dur
ham says:
As TO SOCIAL EQUALITY.
when the white race begins t.
hobnob with the negro and seek hi
favor, they must grant him absolute
equality. That means ultimate socia
as we'll ss political equality. Yo'
can't ask q man to vote for you ant
kick him down your front door ste
and tell him to come around the bacl
way"
Il think you sxaggerate the socia
. danger" replied Gaaton, 'hut | 50
the political end Of it,"
II don't exaggerate in the least.
am looking into the future. Th
racial instinct is the ordinance of ou
life. Lose it and we have no future
One drop of negro blood makes
negro. 1t kinks the hair, nattens tn
nsse, thickens the lips. puts out tn
light OF intellect and lights the fire
! of brutal passion. The beginning o
negro equality as a vital fact is tn
beginning OF the end of this nation
life. There is enough negro bfoo
here to make mulatto the whole re
public"
"Such a danger seems too remot
for serious alarm to me-" replied th
younger man.
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