The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-04-26
NORTHERN SENTIMENT FELT.
,xcrD ATTITUDE ON NEGRO
yssUE KNOWN SOUTH.

-, n.cu,,,on Of II by Southern Men
WV .,a OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES In the
s.,,h Less Considerable OF the Colered
..ce man the Southerners Themselves.
,..vsos Mise, April a.-Although In
-. rolitical campaign now on In this State
80 ia open advocacy OF such distribu-
.n.' =, The State educational fund a. would
.,oalv close the doors OF the public
rp.sool. 10 negroes. that proposition u not
yna uith the dominant sentiment In
sn..iss,nni or any other Southern State.
r., sentiment not only favors, but Is
.anlvins, an educational syrtem to the
,eeroes that is opening wide the door
- them for such mental and moral de-
,.,opment as ia within the negros limita-
a0T A.,
.<,shlished In this respect. On the con-
,r,ry, the negro In the South to-day has
thrown wide open to him better oppor-
entities for making something Of himself
,h.n surrounded the childhood OF Abraham
lincoln and scores OF other great men OF
ne last century. who forced their way up
,rom co nditions OF squalid poverty ann
,h.enoe OF educational advantages COM
nared with which the chances Of the South
en- negro Of to day are daszlingly brilliant.
Ills true that the negro neither In this gen.
grafton nor the next will DO permitted to hg-
mr., In politics in the South. He had his day
A. that, with what result need not be re-
neated. But, theoretically at least, the
seh OF politics, even, Is not closed to him
IN the North. He may vote there, he may
~ ~ % Anvy Il
hence In the liberal professions there to
which his abilities can carry him.
Beginning with the education the public
schools in the South give him. the negro
NAV 70 to college In the South. II in this
evolution he grows big enough to occupy
A field which Is not open to him In the South
EN- States there are the States OF the North
and West where. in theory. there Is no
ore hIdice against him because OF his race.
II that Is a theory only. say the people
down this way, and II II Is true that North
ern men in the North are as intolerant
OF the negro as are Northern men who
come to live In the South, then surely that
Is not the fault Of the Southern people.
We began the solution Of the negro
question cay the most representative
people in tho South. from the bottom.
We began It by taking the ballot away
from him because with the ballot he brought
wreck and ruin to himself and everybody
Else. But eliminating the impossible negro
vote did not eliminate the negro. He u
hero and he Is going to remain here. We
want him to remain here. We need him
and he needs US. We need him as laborer
and he needs us TO protect him from him-
.elf and from his fanatical friends-frienda
who In reality care nothing for him except
As the dominant factor In theory; who In
actual contact with him as be really h in
the South are intolerant TO bitterness OF his
toibles and his limitations.
They chase him away from his old homo
and Old haunts They viii not endure
aim az laborer-will not endure his pres
moe even where they are In . position to
irive him out. This il true Of locality after
locality in the South where Northern men
have become dominant. Every day In
certain portions OF the South the negro Ia
being thrown back upon Southern white
people al his last line OF defer % against .
,arsh, intolerant hostility to him, solely a.
, negro. which he never knew hero until
the S,uthen industrial awakening brought
Northern men In large numbers into tbs
Southern States.
And the Southern people have accepted
The responsibility, and. with all hndlineas
and sympathy for him, born Of generations
Of contact with him and knowledge OF his
iailines and his limitations, and, above
al, OF his really docile and tractable nature
when cona ierately and properly dealt
with, are trying TO educate him and help
SAat, oil t<, h
nantial betterment.'
That Is q summary Of what the inquirer
IN the South hears on every hand from mon
whose views are worth collecting-from
The men whose infiuenoe weighs most In the
communities In which they live. 1t IL con.
SANITY heard here In Mississippi during
the present political campaign. In q
column editorial this week. based upon Mr.
Ceveland's recent speech. the Enenine
Nexs OF this city. ono OF the solid, conserva-
tive papers OF Mississippi. discussed the
pegro question from this point OF view with
much moderation and force.
There can be no doubt or DENIAL II
said, that the Southern men are doing q
food part by the negro in everything that
relates to his legal and personal rights. In
educating him and by helping him In every
direction along the line OF his real welfare
and happiness. And this proceeds. not
upon any fine-spun theories OF philanthropy
or upon seutimentalities. but upon the
broad common sense view Of the situation
10 which the two races are placed. They
are here to stay. both OF them; they are To
work out their destinies under the same
Government, and without harmonious
relations the welfare OF both races would
be impaired.
This Is the bottom and final analysis
of the whole subject. and in this Is found
the explanation OF the whole attitude OF
the Southern men toward the negro. Al
present there Ia absolutely nothing In the
South in respect to racial questions that
need any special treatment
curious feature Of the preeent revival
II negro question discussion In the South
y the great outburst. il almost might bt
sailed. Of Northern sentiment In sympathy
with the attitude Of the Southern people
With reference 70 the negro This hai
been so pronounced that one OF the can
didates for Governor In the present cam
paiga In this State. Mr.. Crits. In q spcecf
he made a few days ago. spoke with con
ddence Of the time being near At hanc
when the people Of the North would JON
With the people Of the South In removing
from the Constitution the amendment
which put IL In the power OF the negro