The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-11-14
Free Speech in the South.


south, both before and since the war,
to. resent all: kinds of criticism and
to repress mercilessly the person who
entertains views that do not fit in with
those of the majority. but now and
then a voice has been raised for in
Dependence No.. !. !. ~.
IN the South A tlanties Quarterly
published at Trinity colleges Ours
ham, N. c. for: october.. Here are.
four contributions which indicate a
surprising spirit of independe nce on
the part of their writer's. Professor
Edward Minis, for examples discusses
the poor com parison !, the southern
statesmen Of the present day make.
with those of the past generation in
progressiveness and breadth of sym
pathy and culture: ~:
/ Professor John Spencer Bassett
dared to say + $ Bio oker washington is
greatarand goodman, .!ae Christian
statesman, and taken 5aIl IN all, the.
greatest man save General Lee born
in the south ina hundred years." and,
more.Fwonderfuls still, Professor Bas-i
sett~ is outspoken in, his protests
against southern editors and 2defna-
gogues, "who would stir. UP the forces
Of race antipathy for political rpur-
poses by dwelling upon such Incl.
dents as. Booker Washingtons lunch
con at the White House. He even
dares to, say that !, "As long. as one
race contends for. the absolute. .in-
feriority of the. other, the. struggle
will go on with increasing. Intensity,
Mr.. F. G.. Woodward had the eoairz
age to write that Southern: society
is slow to grasp the. historically
proved fact that no large part Of the
people may be socially. politically and
Intellectually repressed, without be-
coming either a proletarian class,
menacing peace, blocking progress,
thwarting prosperity And he does
not believe that one third of the
south can be kept in ignorance, sub
serviency and serfdon1, while the fa-
vored two-thirds enjoy the blessings
Of a generous civilization.
President Kilgo Of Trinity college
says that If the negro team not be
made to fill higher place in the
kingdom OF; human life, then Ameri-
can civilization must acknowledge a
defeat--it has found a; race of people
which it cannot benefit. The Chris
tian religion has discovered a man
! that 1T cannot save. .
But these liberal views were not
very we'll received in the south. At
Durham, Professor Bassett's tribute
| to- Booker Washington is reported to
| have caused complete .revulsion in
the feeling of that community toward
/ Mr.. washington, who but the day be-
fore had been highly honored there.
and the southern papers that have
commented ON the articles in the
South Atlantic Quarterly have gen
orally been very bitter. One paper
says that Professor Bassett is merely
seeking notoriety. " Another says that
Pro- assor Bassett will find himself
conspicuously alone in his estimate OF
washington. Ano ther paper however,
while not agreeing with Professor
Bassett, gives him credit for impair
tial conclusions.
/ The discussion that has thus been
started in the south thru the initi-
ative of its own people, cannot fail to
be very beneficial. So. long as criti-
cism Of southern ways e1nanates from
the north, it is easy to rally opposi-
ton by appealing to sectional pride
but when the discussion originates in
! the south. 1t cannot fail to do good to
a region which is in great need OF
1 free speech. tss