The new age. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1902-190?, 1902-07-19
NEGRO CITIZENSHIP!
THERE CANNOT BE TWO GRADES
OF CITIZENS IN AMERICA.
NEGRO ADVENT NOT VOLUNTARY
The White Mans Sense of Justice Has
Been and Still Is the Chief Force
Influencing Laws and Customs
Favorable to CoIored People.

Editor Freeman:-If there ever was
time when the colored citizens
should take a decided and aggressive
part in helping to settle the many
questions that arise from the impact
of the white and colored citizens OF
our country, this is the hour
This is the white mans country, not
only by right of discovery and con-
quest, but by every other recognized
claim. He founded the nation and
has instituted aud developed the gov
eminent The Chinaman is excluded
from the privilege of citizenship and
to an extent is denied even the privi-
Ilege of residence. That the same
course is not pursued toward the Ne
gro is due to the fact that his advent
was not voluntary. While the grant
ing of citizenship to the Negro and his
descendants is strictly in accord with
Justice, the fact is that the acceptance
of the condition that results puts the
lnoblest qualities of the white man to
the severest test. Thus far no state,
city or community where the condi-
lions have been strained have been
able to live up to either the letter or
the spirit of the law. In all such
communities there are many individ-
uals who are at heart just, but they
cannot prevent outbreaks upon the
part of others. Governors, judges and
sheriffs have found themselves power
less to control the "mobs' which have
. been arrayed by actual feelings"
against a more or less abstract prin-
ciple.
If the time ever comes when the
, white man of this country accepts the
I black man as fellow citizen on terms
, of equality, it will be triumph of
} justice over race prejudice such as the
: history of man has never before furn-
! ished.
; While it is true that the white mans
: sense of ustice has been and still Is
the chief force influencing laws and
customs favorable to colored citizens,
yet it must also be remembered that
; apart from the mere desire to deal
: justly, the white man Is bound to be
, Influenced by considerations of his
own welfare and of the welfare of the
} country in dealing with the colored
? citizen. In the end he must accept
. the black man as a fellow citizen and
) accord him equal rights and protect
1 him in the enjoyment of the same.
) There cannot be two grades of citizen
. ship in this republic. The negroes
/ can neither be segregated nor deport-
, ed. They are here as citizens and
must be dealt with as such. II 1t were
possible to deal with the negro in any
. other way than as a citizen, the ques-
: ton would be settled in short order.
| That class of white men who are
swayed by prejudices and sentiment
: rather than by the dictates of sober
Judgment and the sense of justice.
4 have been and are doing all things
5 possible to fix the status of the color
/, ed citizen, but that class cannot pre-
3 vail. They have in the past and at
5 the present time still are subjecting
S the negro to many hardships; they
t may continue to do so for many years,
r but the end will come.
d The colored citizen has 1t in his
q power to shorten the period Of his op-
o preston and suffering and to hasten
e the day of his prosperity. He will,
o however, be unable to make any great
, progress toward this until he becomes
y able to calmly recognize the plain
) facts and to be guided by sober judg
ment.
, The three chief lines along which
n progress should be made are those
n that will secure for the race greater
t economic efficiency, more social and
a political modesty and increased moral
d and intellectual soundness and
h strength.
IS J. M. HENDERSON, NJ. d.
u 1904 Eft,uyotar Do