The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-07-11
A STUDY OF THE NEGRO.

Writing to the Washington Post a Tus-
kegee correspondent says:
l have asked Principal Washington TO
give me his views on the general race
question.
1 had but recently. come from Atlanta.
where l had had a somewhat similar in
terview with a negro professor. who rep
resented in person the theory that by the
exercise OF the suffrage alone could there
come the salvation OF the race I natu-
rally. therefore, began the talk by ask
ing Mr.. Washington TO restate for me his
views on the subject and he responded
Immediately.
1T is not at all true that the colored
man is getting worked up over politics
he is not discussing politics. nor is he
seeking Office to any great extent"
have conditions in the South induced
you TO change your views in any respect?
That is TO say. do you think the time has
come for the negro to insist on his right
of suffrage here in the South?"
Speaking with the utmost caution, the
Tuskegee leader said:
It is well known that I take the posi-
ton that no race in the same economic
and educational conditions as the masses
of the black people at the present time
should make the matter of politics .
question Of the first importance in con-
nection with their development There
are other considerations which must pre-
cede and underlie political prominence.
l make this statement not so much be-
cause l am speaking Of the negro. but the
same conditions would apply 10 any people
in the same stage of development. do
believe, however. as 1 have often stated
before, in the South as in the North
that the negro should have constantly
held out before him a hope OF reward
for right living. and the law that rewards
righteous living should be the same for
both races
I called attention to the fact that II
was being asserted the educated negro
found nothing 10 do after he came out OF
school and college and was forced either
TO so North or slip back into the social
condition from which he emerged when he
went 10 school.
1T is not at all true within our expert
ence." said the principal. that the edu-
Gated negro fails TO find work in the
South. and is driven northward. on the
contrary, the literary colleges find it diff
ficulty TO supply the demand for teachers,
and l am quite positive. so far as our own
students go. that those who are trained
in industrial pursuits can find instant
employment. In fact, the great diff
Guilty is 10 keep them here during an
entire course, because they find oppor-
high prices long before they are ready
for graduation. and the temptation to go
out into the world to better themselves is
frequently more than they can with
stand. The development Of the South
along industrial lines has become so
great that the demand for artisans in
all classes of trades is far in excess of the
supply"
DO you find in your work here any in
of he rF ha pT,0 On fire.
quently made by white men that the ne
gro has a deficient intellectul capacity,
entirely aside from the lack Of training
as a race, and that he cannot succeed in
any occupation which requires the use
of the reasoning faculties TO any great
eXtent?"
Il have never yet discovered any indica-
ton of any bar TO the intellectual growth
II the negro. His reasoning power
seems 10 be as well developed as any
other mental trait. Allowing for early
associations, and for the negroes lack
of home training, his logical capacity
seems to be about the same as that in
the whites. In fact, the race is develop
ing along lines which have necessitated
the use OF its reasoning faculties To an
extraordinary degree and under conditions
in which there could not have been sue
cess without these reasoning faculties.
great difficulty in securing negroes 10
handle our electrical plant. and Of course
to give instruction in that department as
well, for everything here must be viewed
from the educational standpoint VIC also
found 1t hard TO discover men who were
properly trained in mechanical and
architectural drawing. who could conduct
chamical> experiments for the agricul-
tural department. and who were educated
in general scientific work. Now all this
has been changed. The scientific depart
ments can readily be equipped with nc
groes who have a highly technical train
! ing. This indicates pretty clearly thu
the capacity of the colored man is nc
at fault, because he is beginning 70 g
mOnstrate his ability along lines whicl
absolutely require the accurate use of
the reasoning faculties"
I referred TO the suggestion made by