The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-09-06

papers have read into them. In proof
of this, in the statement that Mr..
Conn, the reporter himself made to me
to-wit: That the young man who told
him of my criticism of the book did
not even mention that | had made
any utterances about the race trou-
bles and he said that it was after his
second visit to me that he happened
to find out about it.
(2.) Now about the circumstances
any my purpose:
The remarks that I did make were
uttered at my prayer-meeting service.
| to an audience composed entirely of
white people (even the janitor is
| white) and no reporter was present
and thus my remarks could not have
reached the negroes, but for the me-
dunn of the press. So that if there has
been any wrong impression conveyed
to the mind of any negro, the respon-
sibility belongs to the press which car
ried it to him and not to me.
My prophecy of dire calamities"
was simply statement of my appre-
hension of the danger of a conflict, in
which lawless negroes would resort to
the shedding of blood and acts of in
cendiarism. A more careful watching
of the principles of fairness and JUS
tice in our dealings with them would
lessen the danger of conflict, and
discharge the duty that every employ
er owes to his employee and his God.
do not approve of the
torch on in the hand of the
negro nor of any other deeds
of lawless resistance to white suprem-
acy, and my remarks could not prop
erly be so interpreted. | do most heart
lily condemn anything that approaches
that spirit.
| am southern born, with a south
ern ancestry from the Revolution"
down and with the exception of three
years in Ohio, my whole life has been
spent in the South. It's history, tradi
tions and prejudices are mine.
can not permit any man to question
the loyalty of my southern principles
and sentiment. But as minister of
the gospel of Jesus Christ l must use
my privilege to teach the morals of the
social, racial, political or civil rela-
tions of our people. My first concern
about any of these questions is pure
ly moral and spiritual one. My most
earnest purpose was not to create fric-
ton, but to prevent it. shall be glad
to furnish the names of number of
gentlemen who were at that meeting
for reference as to the substantial cor
rectness of this statement.
60 The question whether the negro
is paid wages sufficient to call forth
in him the desired triats of honesty
and virtue is a matter about which
we may honestly differ, and | am sure
that the frank statement of my opin-
ion does not deny to any other man
the right to hold and act upon his
opinion.
The following quotation from Bishop
Buckley of the Methodist church en-
bodies the essentials of my creed in all
these matters:
1.-The only solution of these great
labor problems ~ in the practical ap-
plication of Christian principles. The
rich man must regard the poor man as
his brother, and the latter must serve
the rich with faithfulness, diligence
and sincerity.
1--WE cannot expect the walking dele
gate or even the President of the Uni
ted States to settle these questions of
capital and labor. Nor can politicians
improve the situation. We must ap-
ply the simple truths of Christianity
and act on them at once or face the
deluge."
J. c.. MASSEE.