The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-10-25
THE NEGRO PROBLEM
Discussion of this Subject
vi h Sugg 'stion.
ia a az of Tho 1'imeS- DiSDntch.

Editor of Tho Times spatch:
Sir.-Aftcr all that has been spoken
and written upon the negro problem, II
takes no little temerity for one who lays
no claim to being n specialist In SOCIOLOGY
to come forward with new suggestion
in regard to the much NeXed question.
Yet | am so convinced that none of the
present methods are productive OF re-
suits at all commensurate with the cf-
forts expended that make bold to give
expression to convictions long held ana
grounded upon the study of the exist
ing conditions of the negro race. IL IS
readily granted that IN the negro PROB
lem we are confronted BY an anomalous
case The files furnish no precedent.
History can teach us little, for we search
its pages in vain for an example of q
slave race exploited by sentimental
theorists. Liberty, as 1t is the highest
and most effective Of all privileges. Is,
| at the same time, the most dangerous
| Where liberty Is not accompanied by the
| sense of responsibility, and has not Tor
its highest aim the welfare Of the, COM
munity, it readily and of necessity de-
generates into license and the utter dis
regard OF law. So true Is 1t that the
sense of responsibility alone can make
liberty anything but dangerous and
Idisintegrating power, that many nations
having gained freedom have lapsed again
| into scrvtude through the failure OF It's
| citizens to realize the responsibility of
| this privilege. The sense Of RESPONSE
| blity is the concomitant of liberty, and
! everywhere has two distinct elements
| the first being the family or racial pride
| in the achievements of ancestors, and
| the other the nobIesse oblge which keeps
| a man true to the standards OF truth ana
duty. AS liberty is the highest privilege
! of racial as well as of individual life, so
\ Il ,r ,.Srt, an w c
| Zens is the measure Of Il States true
progress. In very real sense it rep
rcsents the earnings of peoples en-
deaVor, and Is an index Of what they
/ are In the history Of nations. freedom
| with its accompanying privileges has
ever been the dearly priced and appre-
| cated reward of effort.
| 1t has been necessary to say all this,
for 1t makes plain the anomaly of tho
! Southern negro. lie has a liberty he
| never earned, and hence Is not prepared
to appreciate. He has the highest privi-
| leges of the most advanced civilization,
,inaccompanied by any sense of respon-
| sibiiity He has no past to be true TO-,
no family nor racial history. He is fur
nished the most powerful opportunity
for good or evil known to man, and
neither knows It's uses nor recognizes
| It's obligations. The attempts to equip
| the negro for citizenship seem so far
utterly futile. Crime increases with
| education, and it needs no prophetic
| vision to foresec the crisis thai is COM
ing The more the negro becomes ac-
quainted with the knowledge and extent
of his privilege, the more dangerous he
becomes. 1t Is not too much to say that
| to- day the South is confronted with Il
! graver problem than ever in It's history,
| The presence Of irresponsible millions.
endowed with equal privileges, can mean
but one Of two things either u war OF
determination or sweeping abrldge-
ment of privilege. There can be no hope
Of the amalgamation OF the races; they
are forever distinct. And n negro ciyii-
cation side by side with white civili-
cation only makes more apparent the
dreadful wrong done, not only to the
whites, but to the negroes themselves
when the latter We're suddenly sent mas
querading into life in the guise of privi-
legged freemen, and told that they were
the equals Of men who had spent nine
teen centuries of struggle In the attain
ment of that which was suddenly be-
slowed upon the dazed and puzzled
4 negroes as free gift. The negro civil
! lization has not single prop nor safe
guard, Its religion is emotlonallsm, pure
and simple, divorced from morality.
Ethics forms no part OF its teachings
Public opinion, save 80 far as it guards
the gift-priviege of the race. does no,
exist as a factor The family. which IL
the unit OF the Kingdom Of God. as well
as the unit Of the State, lacks many oil
essential marks among tho negroes. for
the negro neither requires chastity in
the wife OF his choice, nor defends the
chastity Of his offspring.
The Western world kept the Empire
Of Japan waiting at It's gates for quar-.
Ter OF century before 1t granted The
treaty rights By which Japan could try
foreigner IN any OF Its courts. Wher
Japan insisted, the West replied, there
Ia no public conscience In Japan; and ~
cannot trust single one of our c'tzen,
to be tried by your judges, for thos,
/ judges are not restrained by the knowl
| edge that they themselves will come be-
! fore the conscience of the public" Their,
/ is no public conscience among the ne
! groes. immortality, known and proven
| neither unfrocks the preacher nor is
| barrier to the matrimonial prospects OF
! woman.
i Dishonesty, even when SO brande