The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1903-09-28

always comes back to the scenes Of his
childhood and to the friends OF his
| earlier years
The negro is today a free American
citizen, and he can never be made to get
out Of this country against his Will. The
| united States government VIII never
adopt the high-handed measure OF con-
| hscating the millions of dollars worth OF
| property today owned by negroes. In or
| der that they may be dumped upon some
land which the theorist may hoid TO be
or equal value to that wrested from
them. The right-thnking people Of the
| United States--and I am glad to believe
that there are more of that kind than
| any other-will never consent to the In
human proposition of dumping nine mil
lion negroes down upon an island, or In
a distant state, without the facilities OF
| living. We recognize the fact. today.
| that the negro requires something more
than dirt and air, and forest IN which
| to roam. He has advanced some way
| from savagery.
Is No Longer a Savage.
| Look into the average home OF the
negro today. not the hovel Of the poorest
nor the home Of the wealthest. but the
average home, and see what you find
there. There will be found the cooking
stove. the bed, tables, chairs. the clock.
books MAGAZINES, newspapers. letters. ar
tiflcial lights and abundant pictures. even
though they may be cheap, upon the
walls. There. in nearly every case. VIII
be found the Bible and hymn book. The
negro living today In the southern states,
having come In contact with high civil
zation for three centuries. will never again
be satisfied with a forest in which to
roam and a river in which to fish IT,
by sheer force of brute power. we could
wrench him from his setting amongst us
and place him again in conditions of
savageyy we would shock every moral
sensiplnty in the negro that three hum
dred years contact with ourselves has
DEVELOPED In him The honest, earnest
and unselfish whites of the United States
of America-and. l repeat. ! believe they
are in the maiorty-will never consent
to the inhuman proposition of dumping
nine million negroes down TO themselves.
There Is no inconsistency In my argu-
ment here, maintain that the negro is
no longer q savage, that In his wants he
gives evidence of development. But In
| tellectual and moral fibre harden slowly
| and there is grave danger. II not q GER
| tainty, that the bulk Of the negro race
| separated from the white race would lapse
| temporarily into condition approaching
| that from which they were taken when
| they were brought as slaves to our
| country.
Now, aside from its impossibility. Is
| separation the best course to secure peace
| and prosperity? This resolves itself into
two questions. namely: First. Is 1t best
/ Tor the WI It's ana SeCONu Is IL pest lOT
| the blacks? At least, for the present the
negro is an essential factor in our 1ndCs
trial enterprises. The great bulk of the
farm work done on the farms In the south
in producing corn, cotton and potatoes
| is done by the negro laborers.
while the negro does do the larger
| part of the farm work In the south to-
day. that If he were sent away the Euro
| pean and Asiaic races. who are today
| unwilling to work side by side with him.
n lie Mo nj ha re
| the sOuth's problem would be enhanced
| and not lcssened by such an exchange.
| The race from which we could look with
the greatest hope for 'laborers to supply
the Ngros place would be the Chinese,
! and we would in no wise. lessen the
/ gravity Of our problem by bringing tn
| Chln2man here. Even race prejudice tho
most serious hindrance in the way of our
| peace. Is as pronounced on the part of ar
| American for q Chinaman as for negro.
Opportunity for Brotherly Service
ITO agree that the separation of the
| races was the only means of securing
! peace and prosperity would bring upon
| the white people the notifying admission
that they are too weak to deal fairly.
honestly and well by weaker brother
1t would be an acknowledgment ethe,
that we were whipped. or that we were
too weak morally 10 stand the strain o,
contact with the negro. or too weak So
cially to maintain our position In his
presence. or that we are 50 selfish that
we ID not care If the negro is damned.
The separation OF the races would take
from the white people OF the south the
most splendid opportunity for brotherlv
service that the world has Vet afforded.
when We consider the short time that
the negro has been in America and
the sloWness with which all the nations
Of the world have progressed we are
filled with surprise and admiration at
COY Of ol,,t o.cf.,Y hat F.,
from the ranks Of the former slaves.
These, | believe. are only a pledge and
prophecy Of what the race can do
and will do under proper conditions:
such The great body of the race Is not
aole yet to stand alone. The influence
of civilization has not permeated the
entire man. There is, IN thousands
OF cases, simply the superficial polish. |
the heart has not been touched, And,
] believe that the segreg ton Of the /
negroes, even though ttore should be
deported along with the lawless the men !
Of tough moral fiber and intellectual |
ability, your Washingtous. your Tur-
ners, your Bowens your iaineses, your |
Proctors, your Lintons and the reAt.
would result disasrously. I believe that, |
Notwithstanding the strides in progress, |
the experiment would end like the mis-
cradle and pitiabIe experiment In LII |
bcra is ending today-1n degradation
and death.
MY lElenuS, you nave dSheu INC ~
speak to YOU on this occasion and your |
request betrays the fact that you have
confidence in me. | speak to you frank
ly candidly. sincerely, and as your friend
when | say to you that believe 1t is
70 the black mans interest to keep In
touch with the high civilization of the
south. l am sure that you Will recoS-
nize the fact that / speak to you as |
friend when I say it IS TO your interest
not only to keep in touch with this CIV
ilizaton. but as far as in you lies, to
contribute to its highest elements can
all that is modest call all that Is tru-
est cali all that Is most righteous and
best IN YOU to the point OF supremacy
and bod it there while you work for your
own salvation and that of our entire
people l believe az firmly rs l be-
lieve that | am speaking to you tonight
that the whites and blacks are going TO
remain in the south.
"If separation is impossible, and is
not 10 the best interests OF the whites
and the blacks of the south, how can we
swer, first. by being patient with each
other There was never any worthy
work that was accomplished that did
not have in II the element of patience.
Remember that a soft answer turneth
away wrath Do not lose your temper
because somebody acts badly. OFTEN you
can win a friend by a gentle and cour-
teous reply to hot word,
No Social Equality.
Remember that social equality Is the
idle dream of a cocaine 'doper. The
clamor on the part of the unfit for so
clal equality before financial intellec-
tuaI, social and moral fitness is attained