The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-02-07
old NEGRO
A SURPRI
Told New York Audience
About South Carolina.
WENT FOR NEW ISSUE
Clause DISTINGUISHING Negroes, He De
clared. Was the Best Law for the
Race Ever Enacted-In pr.
Parkhurst's Church.
Especial to Tho Timcs.plspntch.

Especial to Tho Times. Dispntch.)
NEW YORK, February 5.-Dr. Charles
IL Parkhurst. Of this city. who enjoys
considerable notoriety In connection with
some OF tho recent reform movements
in New York. has turned his attention
to another field. and this time he lays
his lash upon those people who are re-
sponsible for the conditions OF the negro
In the South.
The uttcrances from his pulpit last
Sunday morning and the incident OF q
Southerner rising and politely informing
the Doctor that ho was mistaken about
the situation in the South, was COM
mentcd upon In the Wednesdays Issue
OF The Tines Dispatch In the editorial
occasioned by the announcement that a
negro missionary would address the
Wednesday evening prayer meeting. The
little newspaper notice of the incident
caused many Southerners. who happen
to be In the city, to wander into the
lecture room sf the Madison Square
Presbyterian Church to attend that spe-
State Senator from Florida, who came
with his "fghtin' clothes" on, fully pre-
pared to defend his people II the occa-
sion demanded. Another was a Presby-
terrain minister from Tennessee who was
as well ready to see Justice done to
those who wsre responsible for the con-
dillon In the South" and still another
was a Southern university president, who
took his seat quietly In the audience;
there was still sprnkling OF students,
representing half dozen Southern States.
DR.. Parkhurst. In introducing the
speaker, SAID that 1t was not his inten-
ton to make debating club out OF this
meeting. but that he had invited the
colored brother to tell in simple way
what he has seen and what he knows
regarding the condition of the negro In
that particular section OF South Carolina
from which he comes The Doctor
further said that they had heard from
that platform tho Hampton students
glve glowing accounts OF how the negro
was rising from his degraded condition;
but tonight they were to hear the other
side OF the question. This statement
prepared somewhat the audience for the
plain. straightforwa" Fed unadulteratcd
truth that the negro was to utter, but
the greater part OF the audience and DR..
Parkhurst himself did not fully appre-
cate until afterwards all that the col
ored brother had In his heart to say,
TOLD THE TRUTH.
The speaker was the Rev. Mitchell,
OF Allendale. S. c. He certainly does
not belong TO that GLASS of negroes called
the new negro" but -1ust come of that
good old parentage, as was evidenced
by his manner. thought and speech. He
took up point by point calculating each
ana substantiatng It with incidents that
came under his own observation. He de-
clared that the ex-master and his chill,
dren were the best friends that the negro
has to-day: that education higher than
the elementary school made Of him a
fool-worse than he was before he
~ H.. l.. NV
OF the great sins Of the negro were in
temperance-even the preachers were Of
ten drunk while conducting meetings:
lack of virtue-there were many large
families Of children with ''rnultiplic-
ity" OF fathers: utter disregard of mat
rimontal ties and laws-mtnisters will
marry the same man number OF times
Just to get a dollar and untruthful-
ness-yoq cannot rely upon his word
He spoke further Of the lack OF In
dustry among the negroes. Said that
they need pressure to be brought to
bear upon them, and In this connection
declared with force that the grand
faher clause in some OF the State Con-
stitutions was the best law ever enacted
ration that astonished some Of his
hearers At the conclusion OF the ger
vices nearly all of the Southerners
stepped forward to congratulate the
negro. and suggested to DR.. Parkhurst
that he give the colored brother the
greatest encouragem possible. for he
was in a position to do great deal Of
good among his people in South Caro-
lima. The colored man is here soliciting
funds for a school, in which to gather
the children and bring them up prop
erly. He says that the only hope OF the
race Is TO get hold on the rising genera
ton and teach them the elements OF
honesty and Of frugal living. "They
need to know how to make and spend
an honest dollar" he declared. Nothing
can be done for the older ones. They
can only be left to the mercy OF God.