The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-08-22
a SIGNIFICANT OMISSION.

In almost all the utterances in negro
meetings touching race troubles it is sig
nificant that there is an omission of any
appeal to the leaders of the negro race to
exert their influence to the utmost to
prevent the crime for which lynching Is
while this significant omission is noted IN
meetings held in the Northern cities, the
recent meeting of the Wake County Bap-
fist Association (colored), showed that
the members of that religious organiza
ton approach the evil in the right spirit.
They declare that while we are not al
together responsible for the growing
arrangement between the races, yet by
reason of the Iawless element OF our race
We are not blameless,'' an appeal is
made to the churches and to parents to
teach proper lessons and to improving the
conditions of the race, closing with these
two significant declarations:
eve commend the Governor of North Carolina
for his strenuous efforts to protect us from mob
law and we humbly beseech him not to be in
fuenced in his determination to stamp out the
Tapist and the lyncher either by the approval OF
disapproval of the public.
Resolved: That hereby pledge ourselves
anew to redouble efforts especially in stamp
ing out the crime of rape and all other crimes
whatsoever by people, and the causes which
lead up to them.
Attention is called here to the declara
tions of Wake county negroes of the best
class to emphasize the sentiment that per-
vades the best North Carolina negro pop
ulation-the best negro population, we
believe, in the world.
AS striking contrast to their wise and
sensible action we print the following ar
ticle, taken from the New York Evening
Pest, written by Mr.. ]. Allen Holt. 1t
embodies resolutions adopted by New
York negroes and some wise reflections
thereon by a wise man. Prof. Hollis ar
ticle is as follows:
To the Editor of The Evening Post:
Sir: The papers report negro mass meet
ing in New York city on the evening of August
9th under the direction of the Colored Literary
League of New York. The following is the
luton that was passed, according to the report
of the Associated Press:
Believing as we do. that the time has
come when something should be done for
the protection of our American citizens
from the atrociouS evils of mob rule, dis
reimbursement, and peonage which was
born in the South and inflicted upon
negroes only, but which is now becoming
epidemic, showing its deformed face be-
yond the Mason and Dixon line, dissemi-
mating its contagion among American
citizens white and black and wo-
men, therefore, the subscribers, together
with large number of our common peo-
pie of Greater New York. in mass meet
ing assembled do petition his Excellency,
the President of the United States that
he may use his official influence with the
Congress of the United States to execute
so much of the supreme law as 1t may
find necessary to eradicate our national
evils and to ameiorate race prejudice,
or to enact such further laws as may have
the effect of bringing about a better
state of affairs in our civic life.
May | call your attention to the entire alb
sence of any denunciation of the crime that leads
to these lynchngs that the President is called
upon to stop? The negroes could themselves stop
these lynchings by ceasing to outrage white wo-
men. In all these mass meetings and from the
pulpitS and rostrumS there is strange silence
on the part of negro speakers to this crime.
Lynching for this crime will when the
crime ceases. These negro speakers would ac-
compiish more if they would turn their atten-
ton to the other side of this great race trouble.
Ii seems to be increasing. Liberty, education,
social recognition the part of the President
and those who believe with him seem only to
increase this crime. Lynching does not stop it,
neither does execution according to law. The
whole negro or question is a larger one by
far than any of willing to admit. The
rapid migration of the negro to the North may