The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1903-05-22
THE NORTH CAROLINA SOCIETY.
Annual Banquet Last Night in New
1Orl<-Senator Simmons Was One
of the and He Mainly
Discussed the Race Problem.

1870 $1,000
quet tonight at the Waldorf Astoria.
President B. y. Duke presiding. Two
hundred sons of the Old North State
with their guests attended. At the
-ator F. VI. Simmons, Of North Caro-
guests table were United State Sen
lima. Who responded to the toast The
Race Problem in the South: Senator
Chauncey VI. Depew. DR.. J.. y. Steele.
president of Maryland Society: Robert
{. Ogden, president of the Pennsyl-
wanna Society; w. E. GraybiII. presi-
G=nt Of the Georgia Society, and John
N Harrington, president of the South
e Society of New York city.
;eIatOr Simmons was introduced by
President Duke.
Senator Simmons address was de-
voted almost entirely to a discussion
OF the negro race problem. He held
that while the north does not admit
tl.st the negro question is an exclusive
Is southern question ii does admit that
1t is a question in which the south is
more deeply interested and which it
understands better than any other sec
ton and that the north shows a grow
ing tendency to cOncede that the attI-
tude of the south towards the negro
IS honest and sincere and that it's con-
tcntiOn that the negro is incompetent
for self-government finds substantial
UDpOr in the actual experience Of the
south with the negro as u voter.
The present conditions Of the negro
present three problems-sociaI. pOliti-
e and industrial. The social problem
his been settled by the south, so far
- it is concerned, irreyOCably. One
and all. now II at all times. they re-
fuse to even so much as to consider
the suggestion of social equality or
social intercourse with the negro. In
THat~ vIar- that y-nTrlI moon 6au~1In-
zion for the white man without COM
u~enSating benefits for the black This
Is a southern condition which is mex
"'able and absolutely nothing can
Change it.
A to the political question:. the
s-Ith has attempted to settle that in
= way reasonably satisfactory to itself
and in Il way which It believes will
prove reasonably satisfactory to the
north.
BY one device or another" said
senator Simmons. We have taken the
ballot from the iIliterate negro. not for
political advantage, but as We believe
for his good n for the COUntry'S good
for our own salvation. The manner of
his diSfranchiSement may seem harsh
and iu~eQuitabIe, but as a matter of fact
It is neither. Experience has COnclus-
lively proven that the negro possesses
no IL. rTent capacities for S~elf-gOVern-
ment Gch as our race undoubtedly has
and : he cannot be safely trusted
with ne ballot until he shows an at
taine.. capacity TO use it. We are con-
tent 70 leave to the courts the question
OF the cOnstiutiOnality of these acts
of diSfTJnchiSement.
The question Of reduction of south
err representation in gre as a
result OF these DISTINGUISHING acts is
one for discussions. We hold hat these
~nOn-VOterS are rs much subject to the
Jaw as the voters. We have disfran-
chiSed the negro. but We have not
lboIished him or his family. They still
aXist. Why then. should they not have
the same representation in congress as
- given to other nOn-VOters Of the
country. If it was wrong % disfran-
"hise these negrOe would not the rem
Gdy proposed (reduced representation
be Il greater wrong? But if the worst
comes to the worst. if the north is de-
termined to consider this question from
the standpoint of political advantage
md we must choose between reduction
OF representation and unrestricted ne
gro Su rage. the south will not hesitate
in making its choice. Men do not hest
tate in making choice betWeen life and
death even though life be conditioned
on oppressive terms.
The g industrial situation does
not present a present, but only q pros
pective problem. Up to the present
IlII lit IlCSfO has IA lid 1tSNAN
tiles chiefly to dong domestic and
mental service in the north and farm
work N the south. For these CCuDa
tons he IS fitted ana in their pursuit
there has been but little friction be
tween him ami his white C~O-labOrerS.
But il IS now proposed to attempt the
education of the as mechanics
and artisans. We believe that no
great number of negro mechanics or
artisans could secure employment in
competition with whites in the great
factories or other industrial concerns
Of the country.
Upon the southern farm the negro
is constantly surrounded and safe
guarded by influences which tend 10
protect him against the formations to
which his weak and credulous nature
is peculiarly subject. There he IS
strengthened. encouraged ana support
ed by close daily contact with 4 SUI
periOr race. whiCh bears for him i sin
Cere and genuine friendship and SYM
paths. and whom he respects, loves
initiates and some times essays 10
emulate. Whatever in the way Of i'm
proVement and development he mas
achieved III the paSt-aud II has not
beer Observation-Disclosures been almost
entirely achieved III these cIrcurn-
stances and surroundings
Take the negro from the farm. carry
him 10 the great city. place MIN III the
factory. organize MN INTO iaDoF uilloIS'
and his individuality. which at the best
is small and weak. Will be destroyed.
his identity Will become merged III the
common mass and his strong tribal
propensities Will undermine and sup
plant many of the virtues which are
now his best and most valuable ASSOC
ciateS and il Will be- 4 marvel II his
last state IS not worse n his first; II,
in attempting to aVOid the enormously
supposed Scylla of his present position
he is not stranded upon the certain
Char.bdis of the other.
Senator Depew said in reference TO
the speech of Senator Simmons:
I'm no spirit of admOnitiOn Il N a
mood not critiCising l cannot let this
occasion pass without i word IN reply.
I have the prOfOundest admiration for
the work of G.. y. Armstrong and also
he ~profoundest admiration for that
negro who came up from slavery and
founded the Tuskegee Institute. | be-
lieve that he will illustrate the poSSl-
bilitieS II his race better than any
Otbav man and tina Booker I. W ASH