The leader., 1903-07-01

will point out the path Of progress to be
pursued. The destructive critic has his
place and Is not without dehbnite value,
but he leaves no monuments-only ruins.
Criticism when discriminating and sincere,
is wholesome and necessary, but becomes
pernicious when 1t hardens into a habit.
My ardent ambition for the South Is that
she will not sit forever in the opposition
benches, but develop generation Of
genius, each with all the seven lamps of ar
chitecture in his strong, brave hand build
Ing and painting for the eternities. Far
better the altruistlc spirit Of the old patri..
arch who dug well In the wilderness at
which thousand generations have been
refreshed, than the violent communistlc
hands that would pull down the Vendome
column and gloat over its magnificent frag-
ments.
cannot withhold reference to another
to Mississippi. A most delicate and yet
stupendous task has been imposed upon
us-a task of growing out of our relation
right performance Of which our material
prosperity and even the security of our
civilization largely depends.
Mr.. Bryce, the fairest and most phllo-
sophical foreign student of our civil and
social Institutions, in his american Com
monweaith' has ,yentured this candid opin-
South is one of the greatest secular prob
lens of the world, presented here In form
Of peculiar difficulty. The present DIFF
ropean race are the product of a thousand
years. while one race was advancing in
the temperate zone, and the other remain
turtles must pass before their relations as
fellow-citiZens and neighbors can be prop
erly adjusted in America" That, I hon
estly believe, is too somber view. 1t dis
counts those great redemptive and elevat-
ing forces that give meaning and inspira-
tion to our Christian civilization.
But 1t is a momentous fact that the full
force of that perplexing problem is most
keenly felt here in Mississippi, where the
races are so evenly divided. make no
apology for any failure. or neglect on our
part, but believe the dominant desire Of
our people has been to deal justly and do
right. And wherein we have failed the
fault has not been all our own.
While gratefully according the purest
motives and largest benevolence to many
friends in the North, | am constrained to
been bee dangerously acc &c and nd made
Sion and R TASTY Criticism a p And although
kindly meant and even we'll deserved, vet
their necessary effect has been to hinder
rather than to help-to hurt and not to
heal. Every effort from the outside-es-
fort-based on mistrust and censure of the
resident white people, has tended to put
ruthlessly asunder what Providence has
Joined together.
That man was an unwise champion of
the negroes who, allowing his indignation
at the real or supposed wrongs to permit
the statement that in a conflict of races
the black man will be no unequal antag-
onist, because box of matches will be
equal to a hundred Winchester rifles. The
very suggestion must strike every humane
person with horror
l give it, fellow Mississippians, as my de-
liberate Judgment, that there can never
be any just and permanent adjustment of
this stupendous problem that does not
enlist the cordial and enlightened co-opera-
ton of the white people with whom the
negro must forever dwell. And any policy
which tends to infiame prejudice and widen
the racial chasm, postpones indefinitely the
final triumph of the Son of Man among
the sons of men. If the poor black man is
never to have a friend and brother in his
Southern white neighbor, one or the other
must move out. Enemies cannot live on
adjoining lots without perpetual conflict.
And now that the matured and best
sentiment of the North has reached the
conclusion that past policies having failed,
this grave problem should be left to the
Southern people for solution; our honor,
ability and magnanimity are put to the
crucial test That we will disappoint the
confidence and hope of the nation, we must
the American negro is to be l do not pre-
sumo to predict. l believe in doing imme-
diate duty and leaving results to Him who
knows the end from the beginning. But
l do insist that the negro should have equal
opportunity with every American citizen
to fulfill that at no distant day this won,
the industry the wealth and power of this
in this ,acred soil and mighty destinies
await US, when brilliant. prophecy shall
be converted into heroic history.
1t is said that Henry Clay, When cross
ing the SUBMITS Of the Allegheny noun
stage coach and stood, silently, reverently,
for some minutes, as If listening for dis
CAN'T echoes. Friends at length asked, Mr..
great tribune of the people replied, II am
listening for the footsteps of the coming
millions Brothers of common heritage,
prophetic genius of craftsmanship and lofty
patriotism, heard the thunder of the mighty
millions moving up and down this valley
of the Mississippi from it's source to the
sea, and from the Rockies to the Allegha-
MES, building and extending a civilization
that was to be the glory of America-the
miracle of history-the wonder of the
world.
You will pardon me on this day of our
rejoicing, If l make earnest appeal to Mis-
san fathers pa so devoutiy
walked. While adopting new methods to
meet the changing conditions of the siren
step with the commercial and industrial
genius of this restless age-let us hold with
an unfaltering grasp the great basal prin-
ciples upon which our government was
unselfsh and untainted patriotism. Jeal-
Gus and tenacious adherence thereto is
the condition of national integrity and
progress. We must ever keep in mind the
fact. so eloquently stated by another, that,
the stones upon which the temple of
American liberty was built are. the only
stones upon which 1t shall ever be able to
stand"
These great political verities, so admra-
bly, summarized by Thomas Jefferson, in his
first inaugural address in 1901, crave
the privilege OF repeating and commend
ing;
whatever state or persuasion, religious OF
political; peace, commerce and honest
friendship with all nations-entangling al
ances with the support Of the State
most competent administration of our do
nestle concerns; the preservation of the
mt IN sbn Its ncbor m nr
peace at home and safety abroad; jeal.
Gus care of the right OF election by the
abuses, which are Topped by the sword
of revolution, when peaceable remedies are
unprovided; absolute acquiescence in the
e 81 e Of ne there
appeal but to force, the vital principle and
immediate parent of despotism well dis
ciplined militia, our best reliance In peace
and for the first moments in war, until
regulars can relieve them: the supremacy
of the civil over the military authority;
may be- lightly burdened; the honest pay
ment of our debts and sacred preservation
of the public faith; encouragement OF ag-
maid; the diffusion of information and the
arraignment of all abuses of the bar of
public reason; freedom Of religion, freedom
of press, freedom of person under the pro-
lection of habeas corpus; and trial by ju-
ries impartially selected"
By these fundamental principles the ma
tion has been wonderfully guided. Let them
continue to be the creed of our political
faith, the text of those who occupy public
place. Guard them with the reverence of
religious faith.
There Is urgent demand for the re-en-
thronement of the lofty political ideals of
our fathers in the South. Some things in
that old civilization are happily gone never
to return; others should outlast the SPLEEN
dor of the stars. The standards of per-
sonal and political honor which were en-
hrq cod urifh-fha SacrpdnpsS of a sacrament