The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1903-04-09
The Ogden Movement"
Charlttte Observer.

The Richmond Tines Dispatch hav
ing said that it had it's doubts about
the Ogden movement at first, fearing
that its design was ''to push the ne
gro fOrward,' but that it is now
''sa tisfied that there is no harm in
it, the Charleston News and Courier
observes that nevertheless sit is re-
markable that those who are direct
ing the movement are those who have
largely participated in the mission
AIRY work of New England fanatics in
this part OF the country, and that
their chief distinction in educational
work has been obtained through the
association which they have had with
negro educational enterprises. 1t
goes Oh to refer to the gentlemen as
sOclated with this movement who sat
down with negroes at the dinner of
the Unitarian Club of New York last
week, and after speaking of Mr. Page
as "a very charming man and one of
the most distinguished lights in the
literary armament" says:
"Another of the workers in the
Ogden movement at this dinner was
MIR. William H. Baldwin, of the Long
Island Railroad Company, and form
erly OF the Southern Railway. Mr..
Baldwin told i'll his speech about how
four negro students of Tuskegee
School had stopped at his house on
their way to West Africa, and Mr..
Baldwin regards Booker Washington
with the same sort of feeling appar-
emily as he would regard the head OF
any white institution of learning in
the South; indeed, with even a more
intimate feeling of fellowship.
"Of course we do not make any
protest against the company that
Mr.. Page and Mr.. Baldwin may keep.
That is their affair entirely, and if
they like it they are welcome to it;
but we sometimes suspect that those
who differ SO radically from the pre-
vailing sentiment of the Southern
white people as to the relations which
should exist between the races are
not best qualified to lead in an edu-
catlOnal movement, or in any other
movement, as matter of fact, in the
South" "
AS for Mr.. Baldwin, his fondness for
the negro was quite well known in
these parts when he was general man.
ager of the Southern Railway, and in
quite notable case of a difficulty be-
tween Ole OF his conductors and an
lnsOIent negro passenger he took the
part OF the negro and suspended the
conductor
But the social equality idea ad-
vanced by some, as an objection to
this movement" has never i'm
pressed us until now. That about it
which we have resented is that a lot
Of Northern ''philanthropists' should
invade the ignorant, barbarian South
with an educational propaganda, and
out Of their abounding charity pro-
pose to roll back the cloud of ignor-
ance from a benighted people and
shed upon them the light of knowl-
edge and introduce them to the ben
efits of civilization. We have quite
readily admitted our poverty and
ignorance and acknowledged that
there is not much left to us except
our spirit Of manly independence.
We have insisted that this be left
with us; that it be not sapped by our
being made the objects of charity
and that the South be left to work
out for itselfits problem ofignorance
those Of US who can read and write
pledging ourselves to do our best tC
help those of our blood and section
to the requirement of these accom-
misunderstanding, further, that
there are worse things, even, thar
| ignorance, one of these being to Learn
to hold out the hand for benefcencies
to strangers to whom we owe moth
ing and of whom we ask no odds
This sounds ungracious; of course il
does; but this is just the way The
Observer feels about this business anC
it had as well out with it. If oul
Charleston contemporary and thos,
who think with it that there is anoth
er meaning behind the movement,
are right, then there is another rea
son for resisting the encroachment
Upon either proposition we are op
posed to it-whether as a bestowa
of largesses Or as an instance OF tn
coming of Greeks bearing gifts. -