The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1903-04-20
MI. Cleveland's Convincing Presen-
tation of the Negro Problem.

tation of the Negro Problem.
Ii the north is ever to be set right
On the soutn's negro problem. that ad-
dress delivered by former President
Grover Cleveland at a mass meeting
held in Madison Square Garden, New
York, Tuesday night. in the interests
Of Booker Washington school, ought
TO do il.
1t will be generally admitted, even
by those who do not agree with NM
politically, that whenever Mr.. CIeVe-
land talks he says something. He has
forceful way OF putting things, and
he can usually be counted on TO take
the plain. common-sense view OF a
problem.
His New York speech indicates that
he has given the negro question CON
siderable study, and that he has not
sought TO theorize with il. but, rather,
10 reach some practical conclusions.
In doing this he starts out right by
making the very sensible admission
that the vast majority of the nine mil
lion negroes in this country are not
fitted for the higher sponsibilities OF
citizenship that were suddenly thrust
upon them On this point he says;
II do rot believe that either the
decree that made the slaves tree or
the enactment that suddenly invested
them with the rights of citizenship
any more purged them Of their racial
and savery-bred imperfections and
deficiencies than that they changed the
-oIor OF the skin"
IT. would seem that ordinary com
mon sense should enable anybody TO
comprehend that point. 1t is the
same rule that we have applied III
dealing with fhe Indian and with the
Cinnamon and nobody has ever heard
The people OF the north contending
mat ii was wrong in those instances
With that proper conception OF the
Negroes position in society and IN our
body polite. it is possible for any one
vino earnestly desires 20 help the ne
gro to a higher measure OF success
and happiness to accomplish some
thiue OF real value. But 10 attempt
from any other standpoint TO seek the
solution TO this problem SIMPLY
makes mischief for the negro and for
all concerned: for the very simple
reason that the premise is wrong
But Mir. Cleveland drives the wedge
home when. as The Constitution has
so Ions preached. he tells the people
of The north no solution to this prob
lem can ever be found that does not
take into consideration the senti-
ments and traditions of The white
people who are most directly concern
cd therein. our hopes for the negro,
he declares. must. after ali. depend
upon the negro himself and, as Mr.
Cleveland SAYS. upon the sentiment
and conduct OF leading and response
Bile white men Of thc south and upon
the maintenance OF a kindly and help
ful feeling on their part toward those
IN their midst who so much need their
aid and cncoUTa cement
On this point Nh Cleveland takes
occasion 10 quote Booker Washington
himself whom he correctly charaC-
tcrizos as the most notable represen-
tative of negro advancement, TO show
thal il is only in the south that the
negro is given free and fair chance
Tor the only sort OF advancement that
Le need now aspire tO-the right to
earn living undisturbed He takes
from Booker WaahingtOn's speech,
delivered a. The Atlanta exposition in
1875. these words.
And IN this connection It is well
70 bear in mind that whatever other
sins the south may be called to bear,
when it comes to business. pure and
simple, it is IN the south that the
negro IS given d mans chance in the
commercial worldl'
Here. then. is the testimony Of the
leading man of the negro race on
what is. after all, the most vital point
in this whole negro problem. ii is 4
fact that nowhere in this country is
the negro given the same opportunity
TO earn a living as is afforded hirl in
the south The northern states have
furnished innumerable instances of
riot and hloOdshed strikes and labor
troubles. 0ccasiOned by the negr0's
attempt 10 come in competition with
white men in the pursuits OF life
There is no such blot on the record
of any southern state.
But, more than this. MI Cleveland
truthfully asserts that the south is
doing what it can for the advance
mGnt OF the negro hiOHS Dldtticd
lines. This The Constitution made
very clear a few weeks ago. when il
produced the records to show thai
here in Georgia we are educating "a
many negro children as withstand
that the white taxpayers of this state
are paying $50 to educate the negro's
,hild where the negro himself is pay
Ing one dollar But we are not sc
foolish as 10 seek to use this educa
ton to unfit him for any useful career
A leader of their own race has de
cIared that "ninety-fve per cent OF
the negroes must continue to earl
their living with their hands, there
fore. it were folly to try to make
preachers and lawyers and doctors
and professional men and women out
of all OF them-as too many OF oul
northern endowed negro universities
are now attempting to do.
The south is Gelping the negro 1r