The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1903-12-29
METHOD|STCL ERCY
ARE "COWARDLY"
"They Can be Driven to
any Cruel Actions"
OBSTACLES TO PROG.
RESS
An Inspired Article by a K;lgoite Says
Methodist Preachers Use the
Churches to Stif!e Real
Freedom

Especial Correspondence of the Transcript
Durham. n. c., Dec. 6.
The contest in the Board of Trustees of
Trinity College here has been the most in
structive and significant single event that
has happened in the Soulful am tempted
to say IN twenty years. An inside story OF
the Bassett case with such explanation Of
details as could be made only on the spot
will show it's many-sided significance.
Trinity College was a BACKWOODs IN
STITUTION-a pretty good high school
belonging to the Methodist church until
ten or twelve years ago. 1t had run It's
course and WAS ABOUT TO DIE. when
the enterprising manufacturing town Of
Durham made 4 bid for 1t. II It should
be moved here. the citizens would give
it a certain amount of ground and so
much money for buildings. 1t came.
Moving it was a mere matter of three or
four professors making a journey of
seventy-five or eighty miles.
1t was the good fortune of the practi-
cally dead institution to arouse the in
terest of the Dukes, the rich tobacco
manufacturing family. They began to en-
dow it ~intelligcntly. One good man after
another was added to it's faculty. Thus
within these ten years it has become the
most richly endowed Southern college, eX-
cept Tulane University in New Orleans.
In its historical and classical and English
departments it is doing as good work az
any OF the smaller colleges IN the land.
1t has admirably equipped buildings, a
patronage of 225 students and a fine high
academic spirit. Year by year the Dukes
have added to its endowment. They have,
A G i COMM CJkJ DID ACE hpra
has it, COMMITTED themselves to it. and
it is understood that money will be sup
piled by them for every useful direction
in its normal development.
THE COLLEGE LAS CEASED TO BE
THE PROPERTY OF THE METHODIST
CHURCH. ALTHOUGH IT KEEPS 7
METHODIST "4AFFILIATION" AND A
CONSIDERABLE NUMBER OF THE
TRUSTEES ARE METHODIST PREACH
ERS.
Foremost among the men in scholarship
is DR.. John Spencer Bassett, a native Of
North Carolina. a doctor OF philosophy OF
the Johns Hopkins University of ten years
ago. a man of exemplary character and
(all his associates and pupils say an I'M
commonly inspiring teacher. He IS re-
garded as THE FOREMOST HISTORICAL
SCHOLAR IN TIL SOUTH.
AS a part Oh his many-sided work DR..
Bassett began a little while ago the pub
~lication of the South Atlantic Quarterly.
1t Is not a college publication, but Il
private one. 1t IS the m~outhpiece of a
number of scholarly young Southern men
who write about historical and social sub
jects. 1t was in this innocent but vigor-
GUS periodical that DR.. Bassett published
his SANE and liberal article on "The Stir
ring up Of Race A~ntipathy." which has
caused all the trouble. It was q plea for
fair treatment of the negro-for apprecia-
ton CT him, for help. That was all. Pub
llshed in Massachusetts, it would hardly
have attracted attention. 1t is FULL OF
GOOD SENSE AND OF a SPIRIT OF
FAIRNESS. And its purpose was the
wholly commendable purpose of allaying
race strife. So much for the background
Of the story.
The articles was reprinted In the Demo
crat organ at the State capital, the Raj
elsh News and Observer, with bitter de-
nunclation of Dr.. Bassett. The other pa
pers IN the State took up the cry of "pre-
serving white supremacy" The whole
State tnen flung itself in the midmost
fight. This is the formula for organized
oppression. THIS IS THE CALL TO
PERSECUTION. This is the rallylng cry
OF race-hatred. When a man says or does
something that the reactionaries do not
like, they cry out that he is putting in
jeopardy ''the cause OF white supremacy"
Now DR.. Bassett had written nothing to
warrant such criticism. No matter. The
cry had never failed. 1t could not fail
now. A man with liberal opinions is
dangerous to the supremacy of those who
live on stirring up race hatred. HI Ne
R WAS DISFRANCHISED IN NORTH
CAROLINA NOT IN OBEDIENCE TO
ANY POPULAR DEMAND. BUT Be
CAUSE A WINNING CAMPAIGN CRY
WAS NEEDED BY A POLITICAL
CROWD. DR.. Bassett was to be sacrificed
by the sentiment and for the same pur-
pose.
The leader of the persecution was the
man who conducted the campaign for
dlsfranchising the ncgro-F. NJ. Simmons,
now United States Senator. He is a mem
Der of the Board of Trustees of the col
lege, and he came to Durham ito Make
as he expressed it, 'the supreme fight for
white supremacy" The newspaper that
stirred UP the whole persecution is the
Democratic party organ.
Now Dr.. BaSsett has never had anything
to do with current politics. Presumably
ne Is a Democrat. But not half his per-
sonai acqualntances know. He is a quiet
and Inoffenslve scholar. BUT HE THINKS
TUX fIMSELt. THAT Is
TlON ENOUGH. But there was an ad-
dltlonal provocation to the group of men
who 1--we on preserving white suprem-
acy-' The Dukes are Republicans. Trinity
IS "the Dukes college, HERE IS A
CHANCE TO PUNISH A REPUBLICAN
FAMILY.
Understand n" "a North Carolina
has or viii CIV" p= &c utterance to this
fact. But everybody knows the influence
that 1t had in the " hole proceedings. The
Dukes are Reuublicans. But they have
taken no public part IN politics. They
have stood for fam treatment of all classes
~ahke-whlte or black; but they rave been
very prosperous and are influential. THEY