The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-05-22
Senator Simmons at N. C.
Society Bang let.
STRONG, LOGICAL SPEECH
Depew Thinks Booker Washington viii Settle
The Problem for His Race Outside Of Poll
iics---PresideHt Geo. T. Winston
of Raleigh Speaks.
Of Raleigh Speaks.
(By the Associated Press.)

Society held its third annual banquet to-
night at the Waldorf Astoria, President
B. N. Duke presiding. Two hundred sons
of the State, with ,Aeir guests attended
At the guests table were United States
Senator Simmons, of North Carolina, who
responded to the toast The Race Problem
in the South" Senator Chauncey M. De
pew; DR.. ]. N. STEELE. president of the
Maryland Society; Robt. c.. Ogden, pres
ident OF the Pennsylvania Society: W. E.
Graybill, president of the Georgia Society,
and John NJ. Harrington, president OF
the Southern Society of New York city.
SENATOR SIMMONS SPEAKS.
Senator Simmons was introduced by
President Duke.
Senator Simmons address was devoted
almost entirely to a discussion of the me-
gro race problem. He held that while the
North does not admit that the negro ques.
tien is an exclusively Southern question il
does admit that it is question in which
the South is more deeply interested, and
which it understands better than any
other section, and that the North shows
a growing tendency to concede that the
attitude of the South towards the negro
Is honest and sincere and that its con-
tention that the negro is incompetent
for self government finds substantial sup
port in the actual experience of the
South with the negro as a voter.
The present conditions of the negro
present three problems, social. political
and industrial. The social problem has
been settled by the South. so far as it is
concerned, irrevocably. One and all, now
and all time, they refuse to even so much
as consider the suggestion of social
equality or social intercourse with the
negro In their view that would mean
degradation for the white man without
eompensating benefits for the black. This
is a Southern condition which is inexora-
bic and absolutely nothing can change it.
AS to the political question the South
has attempted to settle that in a way
reasonably satisfactory to itself and in
a way which it believes viii prove rea-
sonably satisfactory to the North.
by one device or another" said Sena-
tor Simmons, 1--WE have taken the bal
lots from ilhterate negroes, not for politi-
cal purposes, but as we believe,
for his good and for the coun-
try's good and for our own
salvation. The manner of his disfranchise-
ment may seem harsh and inequitable,
but as matter of fact it IS neither. FIX
perience has conclusiyely proven that the
negro possesses no inherent capacity or
self government, such as our race I'M
doubtedly has and that he cannot be safe
ly trusted with the ballot until he shows
an attained capacity to use it. We are
content to leave to the courts the ques-
ton of the constitutionality of these acts
of Acknowledgement.
THE question of reduction of Southern
representation in Congress as a result Of
these DISTINGUISHING acts is one for dis
cussion. We hold that these non-voters
are as much subject to the law as the
voters We have disfranehsed the negro,
but we have not abolished him
or his family They still exist Why,
then, should they not have the same rep
resentation in Congress as IS given to 9th
err non-voters of the country. If it were
wrong to disfranchise these negroes would
not the remedy proposed (reduced repre-
sentation) be a greater wrong? But II
the worst comes to the worst, if the North
is determined to consider this question
from the standpoint of political advantage
and we must choose between reduction
of representation and unrestricted negro
suffrage. the South will not hesitate in
making its choice Men do not hesitate in
ma king choice between life and death even
though life be conditioned on oppressive
terms.
1.-THE negro industrial situation does not
present a present, but only a prospective
problem. Up to the present time the ne
gro has confined his activities chiefly to
doing domestic and mental service in the
North and farm work in the South For
these occupations he is fitted and in their
pursuit there has been but little friction
between him and his white co-laborers
But it is now proposed to attempt the ed
ucatio nof the negro as mechanic and ar
itsan We believe that no great number
of negro mechanics or artisans could Sc
cure employment In competition with
whites in the great factories or other in
dustral concerns of the country.
Upon the Southern farm the negro is
constantly surrounded and safeguarded by
influences which tend to protect him
against the temptations to which his weak
ana cfedulOuS nature Is peculafly subject.
There he is strengthened, encouraged and
supported by close contact with a
superior race, which bear for him a sin
cere and genuine friendship and sympathy,
and whom he respects, loves initiates and
some times essays to emulate. Whatever
in the way of Improvement and develop
ment he has achieved in the past--and it
has not been Observation-Disclosures been al
most entirely achieved in these circum-
stances and surroundings.
''Take the negro from the farm. carry
him to the great city, place him in the
factory. organize him into labor unions,
and his individuality, which at the best
is small and weak, will be destroyed his
identity will become merged in the com
mon master and his strong tribal propen-
sites will undermine and supplant many
of the virtues which are now his
best and most valuable assets, and it will
be a marvel if his last state is not worse
than his first: if. in attempting to avoid
the enormously supposed Seylla of his pres