Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1903-05-12

reported recently IN the New York sun
John II. Kirby. Of Houston, Texas, VINO
is president OF the great Kirby Lumber
company, a native Of the South, and
thoroughly familiar with the situation
there. was interviewed by q Sun cor
respondent. He touched rather upon the
social than the political aspirations OF
the colored people, and said
rThe negro Of ante-belum days Is the
negro, who. unfortunately, Is becoming
only a small part OF the bl0ck-sklnneu
family IN the South. Taught by their
masters the proper lessons Of humility
and courtesy; taught a recognition OF
the sociu barriers which Will forever
bar the progress OF the negro beyond
the social environment which at present
hedges his domain, the old slave negro
aud his children were well cared lot,
suffered no want, were faithful, indus
trlouB, and were most important ana
component part OF the South, as well as
important and faithful factors In the in
dlvidual white families Of the south 70
whom old Nanny and Uncle Dave
were part OF the home life. They en-
loyed the affection and trust Of their
superlors and returned an humble love
and service which were practically un-
equalled In the history OF all like condi-
tons
Il cannot say that ! believe In the
doctrine that education ruins the me-
gro for while II may unfit him In a
sense for being a newer Of wood and a
a % fs.p IL ehAttlH n .HmrQfl Inn
means anything force him TO an intel
lectual condition wherein he should
more firmly realize his position and
recognize the Inherent restrictions or
his race IN regard TO the social condi-
lions OF mankind.
There Is a great deal Of useless and
harmful agitation In these discussions
OF the negro question, particularly by
the papers of the North and East which
reason by theory rather than by argu
ment based upon even an average
knowledge Of the subject. The negro or
the North Is not the negro Of the South.
His material environment differs abso-
lutely for, while the former Is EN-
ployed In occupations which Keep him
constantly and closely In touch with
the dominant race In the South he la
bors in the field and the farmyard and
in channels Of energy which, while con-
trolled by the white man, do not neces-
sarily mean an association In any sense
other than that which exists between
the employer and the employed. Be-
cause Of the great preponderance Of the
negro race In the South the South
should be let alone and permitted TO
determine the question by the ethics
which govern the situation, viewed
from the Southerner's standpoint
I'm politics the negro has always been
a disturbing feature, and IL used by all
parties, and In the main for vicious pur-
poses, The negro was never intended
to test the right of ballot. His enfran-
chisement was an error OF judgment,
and today practically dsfranchlsed
by legislative enactment In many Of the
states, he Is content that such be the
case, for believe the race has little de-
sire to NEEDLE In questions the solution
Of which bears but immaterIally upon
his existence or upon his future. Hts
official or social recognition by persons
or officials In high places affects the
negro more disastrously than It does the
dominant race, while temporarily in
Quiillb a toAillNlOlf MUM " w iNbiTNAFu
and which can have but one solution"
Mr.. Kirby claims that In Texas the
negro Is denied none OF his civil rights
but at the same time he admits that,
I'm Texas as In other Of the Southern
States, the negro Is required 10 attend
his own school, his own church. to ride
In separate coaches on the railroads, to
occupy separate waiting rooms In the
railroad stations, and collectively to
keep themselves separate and apart
from their white friends who neither
seek nor desire their society"
This win strike people In the North
as carrying exclusiyeness 20 an ex-
IRENE, and drawing the lire too sharply
between the races, tending to foster
that feeling OF strife that sets them one
against the other and occasions much
Of the trouble to be deplored. Yet we
should not shut our eyes to the fact,
that the Creator has made distinction
between white and colored human be-
Ings that indicates design as to their
status, and there are physiological as
well as religious reasons why their
blood should not be intermingled. Thus
there needs to be some wise restrictions
in society, that each race may occupy
the position for which it was designed
and is adapted
The elevation OF the colored race
along possible lines, should be kept in
view by the whites, and II this lie pur.
sued in the spirit OF kindness and jus
lice The nanro u.lll moi a-,ro lann n