The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1902-09-19
The Negro North and South.

The following letter written to the
New Orleans Times Democrat. will
give our coloreo readers food for
thought:
| have undertaken a great work
among my people | have begun
printing or publishing the Bond
Weekly Item. admit that my people
are the cause of prejudice between the
North and South, and | am sure that
the Northern people do not agitate our
cause for the sympathy they have for
u.s. They do 1t simply because they
are Jealous of Southern progress.
Their writing doesn't help our condi-
ton. 1t only inspires the Southern
negro to be or feel resentful, and the
negro press to write conflicting views
on the negro problem. l was reared
in Alabama and can testify to the
fact that the Northern people are our
worst enemies. l have personally
sought employment in Chicago, New
York, Boston, st. Paul. Indianapolis
and other Northern cities. and what
was the result? / was debarred from
all first-c class restaurants, bar-rooms
and family butlerships. l saw large
buildings going up and hundred
white masons at work thereon but not
single negro was even carrying
mortar. No railroad fireman, brake
man or train hand of any descrip-
ton, except Pullman car pOrters.
That being the case, l deemed it best
to come South, and when l hit the land
of song and fame, and as some say,
.'The land of fever, fret and preju
dice the land of my father and
mother, labor stood there with gates
aiar, reckoning me ''V ecome
I am opposed to negro politics, be-
cause I feel that they will ruin instead
of rule. First. the negro has got to
learn, or be taught, self-respect
morality. temperance, education, self.
government, industry and christianity
and the support of all these teachings
must come through the Southern white
man, especially in education. Suppose
we had to depend on negro taxes Tor
school funds. in Mi"gissippi what
would be the result? Wouldn't have
any school. AT the same time the
negro inhabitants exceed the whites by
200. 600 or more. | know II negro at
tends to his own business tbs best class
of white people will protect him. OF
course, the Southern white man won t
allow negro to get into his bed, sit
at his table or around his Preside on
a basis of social equality, but the
Southern white people. il Necessary,
will give us bread if we are hungry.
If out of doors, in the cold. they will
shelter us, even if they have to allow
us to stay in the servants house. We
have hailed them IN distress and they
have responded literally.
Now take the negroes in the lumber
belt of Mississippi. They are the
worst people between hell aud heaven.
They gamble, kill each other, steal,
and are full Of crime and prejudice,
but even at that their condition is
better there than it would be in the
North. am here among these rough
negroes to teach Christianity and
education, also; to lecture from one
end of Mississippi to the other to re-
duce the negroes love for Northern
ympathizers. | know am going to
be criticised by some OF the negro
press. But l cannot help it, because
feel that there is an urgent, pressing
necessity for the manifestation of such
feeling as | have. | shall advise all
negroes to buy homes, EDUCATE their
children industrially, serve God and
practice morality, temperance, and let
gambling and politics alone.
Blk. BRUCE,
Editor Bond Item.