The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1903-08-04
AyOICE FROM OHIO.

"'For thirty years before the war OF
the rebellion, slavery cast the shadow OF
the coming struggle. Forty years after
that war its only inheritance not dis
posed OF Is the so-called race problem,
a problem that, II permitted TO do so.
will solve ITSELF but il theorists and re-
formers persist In confounding this so
called race problem with social equality
It will never down.
1.-The agitation OF social equality Is
the factor that makes the so-called
problem an issue Leave the negro to
himself With the aid OF the white man.
with the acquisition OF experience and
knowledge, he will work out his own
salvation.
LIN token OF our sincerity. many who
wore the uniforms OF blue are first and
foremost in the sacred work Of decorating
the graves OF those who wore the gray,
covering the last resting place OF their
one-time opponents with sweetest flow
ere from their own Southland, honOring
the memory OF the fallen foe, cementing
the bonds Of friendship and love between
the living No more sacred duty was
ever performed by brave men and fair
women"
The above is an extract from
most beautiful, touching and pa
triotic grafton delivered by Al.
g. Field, the minstrel, in the
Confederate Cemetery at Columbus,
Ohio, on the occasion OF decorating
the graves OF the Confederate dead
at that place. On the so-called
negro problem" Mr.. Field just
meets the issue; and those who con-
found social equality with thatprob-
lem have a full answer in what he so
well said. We presume Mr.. Field, in
his profession as the acknowledged
head Of ministrely, knows the South
and it's people by reason OF his ire
auent visits to this section; hence he
speaks from observation and from
the knowledge which he has gained
by mingling with our people, and he
gives very decided denial TO the
theorists and doctrinaries who know
nothing OF the situation, but are
everlastingly talking about this so
called problem. The conclusion OF
Mr.. Fields is the proper one and the
only one-it Is to let the negro alone
and let the negroes very best friends
at the South alone-and the problem
will in time solve itself, but never If
social equality is injected into the
issue, for that will never, never no
never, be tolerated. 1t is interesting
to note that the Confederate Gene
terry at Columbus, Ohio, where Mr. /
Al. Field delivered this eloquent ora
ton, was made possible by the work /
OF Senator Foraker.
The beautiful arch erected to the /
memory of the boys in gray who
sleep there was contributed by Hon
W. Ii. Harrison. OF Cincinnati, and
the whole scheme was at its incipiency
vigorously pushed and pstronized by
Col. W. II. Knauss, a brave and dis
soldier "of the other
side" On this occasion Gov. Nash,
OF Ohio, also made an address, which
was much applauded. Our purpose,
however, in this article is to empha-
size ard endorse what Mr.. Field said
as to the negro question, as the prac-
teal declaration OF a brOad-minded,
big-hearted patriot, who is familiar
with the conditions as they exist
here, as against the foolish and fu-
tile talk oimen absolutely unfamiliar
with those conditions, who seem to
think the South ever can or ever will
tolerate the social equality OF the
negro, and who make that part Of
the solution oil this problem. Mr..
Field talks splendid common sense.