The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1903-07-25
The Negro Criminal.

From Philadelphia Ledger. Rep. July 10.
Justice Brewer. Of the United States Su-
preme Court, has spoken & needed word in hes
declaration that every man who participates
in the lynchiug or the burning OF a negro Is a
murderer pure and simple. The fact tha,
large numbers take part IN these auarchisIie
outbreaks does not, As some people seem 10
think, mitigate the crime on the other hand,
IL adds 10 the heihOusnes of the etfense be.
cause organized riot and murder is an attack
on law and order. on the stability Of the con
inuniiy, and direct Indictment to crime
among both whites and negroes. Judge Brew
sr thought there would be reaction from
this lawIessness, and, IN fact, the reaction
seems already to have begun.
The firing on the Evansville mob and the
firm attitude of Indiana's Governor was a
turning point in the tide; the fine action at
United States Senator Foster, Of Louisiana,
was another sign and omen. A negro had at
lacked a woman in st. Marys Parish, the
home Of Senator Foster, who, hearing that
mob WAS bent ON lynching the cupnt con
fined IN the jail, went to the spot aud awaited
the coming Of the mob He was reinforced
by two of the local Judges and the Sheriff.
They pleaded with the mob, and their pleas
prevailed. The law will take lis course. Mr..
Foster can render no more valuable service
in the Senate than be performed on the porch
Of the lilile flock az" 10 St. Mary's Parish.
While il was expected that sooner or later
the sober second thought Of the country would
assert ITSELF il cannot be said that there Is any
cessation OF the hldeOuS acts OF the proving
negro criminals who are the immediate cause
Of the outbreaks which enrage communities
aud tend to drag them for the time being down
TO the wild beast stage in their attempts to
wreak what they think is the appropriate pun
ishment. The negro criminal Is especially
active in this neighborhoOd Just now. as the
reports from Red Bank and Trenton in yes
terday's papers and as reports OF crimes in
Camden. Germantown and other localities
nearby have recently shown. The negro
problem is brought home to US. because We
have large negro population, and among
them some of the worst Of negro criminals.
There were more than 81, 600 negroes in Phil
adelphia alone at the last census, and the
number is increasing rapidly. Booker Wash
ington says that they go North because of
better police protection and better school ia
cilties That is true Of the better class, but
many come also because they are criminals
who have been driven from their homes IN the
South
We have the negro problem with u. and
il has come TO stay; we must meet II and solve
il. While we always have aud always shall
stand out against violence in the treatment Of
criminals. whether black or white, the time
has come when it must not be overlooked mat
one of the real provocaiives of these out
breaks, and of hostility to negroes IN general.
is the atrocious erimnaiity of the base negroes.
aud the only way to attack this difficulty at
the root is to lessen negro crime aud lawless-
ness.
The negro has had an unfortunate past, and
his present instructors, except in rare iustan-
ees, are blind guides At the Christian En- +
deayor Convention in Denver the other day
the general sense of the colored educators
present was that an educated colored preacher
in the South was great rarity. The ignorant
and wild preachers who leaG the negro are
usually but frebrands; they are wailing about
the wrongs ofthe race; filling the negro head
with the idea that there is conspiracy against
him; that the whole cause of all his troubles
is the oppression of the white population.
This sort of doctrine is calculated 10 stir up
a feeling of hopelessness and lawessness.
Base politicians have done their share in
giving the ignorant negro an altogether undue
sense of his own importance; and the notion
that the salvation Of the negro was in the
higher education is responsible for large
class of professional negro agitatorS, who
foster the delusion that it is possible and
meritorious to live without work. Now the
country is waking to the fact that the negro
has miseonstrued the meaning of liberty, and
thinks it means license.