The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1903-03-27
Ole Wessenger.
THE NEGRO

under the nature O4 lhII4SS, De 4eIl,
seem in a fair way TO settle it TO the
advantage of those most keenly inter
ested.-the two races at the south
some unfortunate move is made by a
certain class of people at the north
which is calculated to undo all that
has been accomplished by the southern
people. President Roosevelt has,
more than any one else in late years,
acted as a disturber OF the peaceful
relations that were existing between
the two races in the south. The ne
groes had begun to recognize the fact
that the white people were fully de-
termined to be the rulers and had &C.
quiesced in the recent laws RELOCATING
them to the background as ~officehold-
ers and electors when Mr.. Roosevelt
came upon the scene with his bane-
full talk and putting int practice his
ideas of social equality. Up to this
time the fact had become almost fully
recognized, even among the republic
cans of the north, that there should be
made d distinction between the cit
izenship of the negro and the white
man at the south. For the same old
reason thOugh-politics, an endeavor TO
make political capital out of the ne
gro-these northern people have again
taken UP the cry of protection for
the dOwntrOdden negro" and are
multiplying all the progress OF past
years in an amiCable settlement of the
relations to exist between the two
races. 1t had begun TO be recognized
everywhere that the negroes as a
class, especially members of the gen
Grafton which has grown up since
emancipation were not fit persons to
be given unqualified suffrage n right
to become officeholders.
The Richmond Times-Dispatch, in
an editorial on the moral and intel
iectual status of the negro. refers to
the cold-bIooded murder of Sidney
Blair and the attempt to kill his
daughter by a negro in Rockingham
county in this state last Friday and
makes the following comment:
las already stated, this negro is
only sixteen years of age, and while
we would not say that he is a fair
representative of his race, he is I'M
doubtedly a type. There are many
other young negroes like him through
out the south, and when the present
training of the negro is considered we
do not see how it could we'll be other
wise. Coming of a savage race, with
the instincts and passions n appe-
titles of the savage still in him,
brought up, as is too often the case,
without any sort Of moral instruction
at home and without any moral re-
Straints except such as the law throws
around mankind in general, it is no
Wonder that he is thoroughly brutal
lied and fit for treason, stratagem and
spoils.'
Here is where the nero problem
begins, and it is to this phase of the
question that those who are honestly
~endeavoring to inc a solution of the
problem must address themselves. In
the days of slavery the negro was we'll
trained. He was taught the princi-
pies of the Ten Commandments, and
he was taught not only to observe
them. but the greater lesson OF ODE
dience. which the Commandments were
designed to teach, and which
dience lies at the foundation of all
character. In the days of slavery the
young negro was thoroughly drilled in
morals and Each plantation
had Its own code of morals and laws
and its own discipline. As Il result.
crime among negroes was rare. and
some of the worst crimes which they
now commit were unknown. 1t was
unusual for a negro to commit muir
der, and as for the other n more
atrOciOuS crime uDOn women. in
young lays we never heard of such Il
case. although negrOes in that COm-
munity were numerOuS-mOre numer-
Gus, perhaps, than the whites.
Finder orr nrpSput system VOu0C
negroes are brought up without these
restraints and without this training.
They are brought up too often by
lewd parents. and very early in life
they are turned loose to shift for them
selves. to indulge their appetites and
passions according as opportunity Of
fers. nj there is practically no in
struction in the great virtue of self
control.
What are we going to do about it?
What are we gOin@ to with such
young bucks as this Rockingham ne
gro. who armed himself and attempted
to murder two white people in order
that he might put a little money into
his pocket? What are we doing and
what are we going to do to train the
negro in morals and manners? That.
we insist, is where the negro problem
begin"
Regarding the effect of education
of the native negroes in the German
provinces of West Africa, where eff
fort is now being made by the Ger
man government to introduce the Cul-
tiyation of cotton, We take from the
Columbia State the following inter
view of Lieutenant Weydig, of the
Ninth German Fusiliers, stationed in
that colony. The lieutenant is travel
ing through the south studying cotton
culture:
Il do not like your n1ggers here"
he said, they know too much and
they are very im~pertinent. The min
ute a niger learns how to read and
write he is useless. l never employ
q niger in my adopted country when
l find he has been attending the mis-
sion choOls SOM of the Catholic
schools are goo but most of them do
more harm than good. We don want
the missionaries out in South Africa
They do a great deal more injury in
every way, 1 repeat, than they do
good. Let the niggers out in Africa
alone. 1t is easier to keep 4 gorilla in