The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1903-09-26
POSITION OF THE NEGRO
EXACTLY DEFINED
Rev. DIR. Babbitt COnfers
With Leaders of Race.
A CATEGORICAL STATEMENT
Prejudice Against Negroes to Be Com
bated-Laws to Be Impartially
Observation-Disclosures Suggested.

The Rev. DR.. Dean Richmond Rabbit.
rector OF the Church OF the Epiphany.
Brooklyn. who has pursued the study Of
the race problem In different parts Of
the country, and who has lectured.
preached. and written on the subject
extensively. met in a conference last
night eight selected conservative and
representative negroes of Washington.
who have their races interest deeply at
heart. TO ascertain from them. by definite
and categorical questions, the exact pur-
poses and wishes, as they judged. of the
negro race in America These men were
The Rev. F. j. Grimke. pastor OF the FIJI
teenth Street Presbyterian Church: Prof.
Kelly Miller, OF Howard University:
John {, Dancy, Recorder of Deeds; Cy-
rus Field Adams, Assistant Register of
the Treasury; DR.. o. VI. Atwood. prac-
ticing physician; Thomas H r. Clarke.
Whitefeld Mckinley, real estate dealer
and J. w. Lyons.
The object of DR.. Rabbit was a dis
cussion, as a white friend of the negro.
CT the pressing problem in all of it's
aspects. with the thoughtful. conserva-
tive minds among the negroes them
selves. The general results. as formu-
lated in the signed answers by these
eight men, were as follows:
Remedies Suggested.
Tho spreading prejudice against the
negro race is occasioned by the appeal
TO race passions on the part of selfish
politicians. The cure for this prejudice
IL the application of Christian morals
snd religion. and the Just execution OF
The laws IL is desirable that political
rights should be emphaticaliy insisted
en- among whites and blacks, and that
the Fourteenth and Fifteenth Amendments
should be held intact They held strong
ly that IL is not the desire. wish or pur-
Tose of the negroes as a race to seek.
maintain. emphasize. or teach social
equality with the whites as a conse-
quence Of equal political rights. and
urged strongly that the negroes educa-
tion should not be limited to Industrial
training.
As to the crime of assaults on women
and other crimes of the race. they held
that their race, while admitting many
Of these crimes, knew the number of
these crimes had been grossly exag-
gerated by their enemies for the DELHI
crate purpose of arousing prejudice
against the negroes for selfish purposes.
The best way to meet these exaggera-
lions was to collect and publish the real
facts. and the best work of cooperation
TO lessen these crimes was by an appeal
to the clergy Of their race to teach
strongly against these crimes, by elimi-
mating the curse of intemperance from
which many crimes originated, and by
the application of moral and religious
forces and the Just and strict enforce
ment OF the laws
Thorough Organization.
In suggesting remedies for what they
called the present crusade of many
Southern politicians to make sentiment
against the negroes for the repeal OF the
Constitutional amendments" they held
that there should be the thorough or
ganization of their race under capable
and respected leaders, and an appeal TO
the moral ard religious sentiment of the
country, and especially TO the white
clergy of the Christian churches. who
can read in their Bibles no doctrine of
a gospel OF hatred. but who are taught
therein kindness. mercy. and pity 10 the
oppressed, the fatherhood OF God and the
brotherhood of man" They also held
that a most powerful method OF meet
ing the crusade of the Southern politi-
clans was by an appeal TO the American
press TO do justice TO a class of Ameri-
can citizens who have been constantly
misrepresented through their columns
by an organized. deliberately persistent
crusade of our enemies
As to the formation OF a separate po-
litieal party. they repudiated the idea.
All these reasons and sentiments were
embodied in written answers TO nine
categorical questions propounded TO the
conference by Rev. DR.. Rabbit. and
these answers were signed by all pres
emit