The Caucasian. (Shreveport, La.) 1900-192?, 1903-04-19
RIDICULOUS REPORTS.
WHY ACCEPT AS TRUE THE UN-
REASONABLE
And Improbable Sensations and ENag-
gerations Which Should Be Dis
credited by Sensible People.

positive and that he is uncomprOmS1ng
in favor of the rule of intelligence and
white supremacy, but he would always
deal honestly and fairly with the inferior
race. In the enjoyment of his life, his
liberty and property the negro is entitled
to the fullest protection of the law, tC
which he is held amenable when a trans
gressor; and there are we'll defined linn
its to which he is circumscribed, socially
anad otherwise, which he would not
transcend except at his peril, in his loss
of property, of liberty and Of life. All
these limits are we'll understood by him,
and we add that he is not revengeful and
bears no malice, and in this respect he is
unlike men of other races who nurse
their resentment until they have satiated
their hatred in the blood Of their vic
Tins, whom they will pursue to the brink
of the grave.
These remarks are suggested by the
reports and exaggerations which have
| operated to the excitement of fear and
apprehension in many families in this
city. Indeed, it may be said that on the
insidious propagation of these wilful and
[senseless exaggerations that some people
| have become so alarmed in their fancy
of dlreful impending calamity that
they have secured means of defense, and
we know families who have all but bar
ricaded their doors during the absence
at night of the male members of the
household. #.&
Why will rational, intelligent people
accept as a fact the improbable and the
unreasonable? As an instance of these
villainous exaggerations it may be said
that a gentleman, otherwise sensible,
called on the Caucasian editor will a
story that was in substance that band
of negroes had on a night of the past
week congregated in the woods near the
Junction and were Furnishing their old
guns and pistols and sharpening their
knives for complete butchery of all the
women and children. This man in telling
his hair-raising story was in earnest, but
as other men, he was going about on an
impulse as unreasonable as it was pre-
posterous, and when he was made to
realize how ridiculous was his predica-
ment he was profuse in his regretful
expression. But he, and others as sense
less, had left on other unthinking minds
the impress which aroused fear and ap-
prehension in many homes Again we
query: Why will the improbable and
unreasonable be accepted unquestioned
by sensible people?
Seriously, if the negro was disposed
to retaliation by slaughter and the torch
how long could he maintain himself in
this diabolicaI work? He would soon be
overpoWered and crushed as one would
break an egg shell in the hollow of his
hand, and the old and the young, the
guilty and the innocent would be exter-
minated, wiped off the surface of the
earth
But, as we have said, the negro appre-
eiates his position, and it IS fair to say
that he would not countenance any act
which would lead to his disaster and |
ruin. In moment of excitement such |
has arrested and engaged the attention
of this community over the perpetration
of horrible crime, the negro has not
been moved by resentment or revenge
ful spirit, but by fear and apprehension
the fear and apprehension which he has |
realized from his condition, from his race |
and his color, which, in an outbreak, |
precipitated by some irresponsible negro
or white man. would lead to a bloody |
horror in which the negro, innocent and
helpless as well, would be the victim.
Talk moi tonne nor mention to me the
word RIOT The horrors of two riots |
years ago at the Mechanics In
stitute and later on Canal street in New |
Orleans, when the military were called to
the scene, is still vividly impressed on
the mind
Realizing this condition, then depend
ing IN great measure on the protection |
OF the white man, from whom he must
earn the means for his livelihood, why
should the negro then assume the un-
and suicidal course which