The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-09-13

of lynching. Forgetting for the present
the failure of the President to enforce
the law against the trust magnates and
Governor Durbins refusal to deliver to
Kentucky authorities a Republican ex-Gov-
ernor charged with murder, let us con-
sicer the subject of mob law as it is re-
lated to the race question. The Presi-
dent is right In protesting against mob
law--it cannot be defended. 1t is a re-
Election on the government if the people
have reason to dlstrust its ability to en-
force the law. All will agree with the
President that punishment should not
only be sure, but should be as swift as
due regard to the rights OF the &C
cused will permit. Whatever punishments
are sanctioned by public opinion should
be embodied in the law and in the
case of crimes against women the law
should be such-even though constr
tutional amendment were necessary to
secure it-that the victim of the outrage
will he protected from the humiliation OF
having to give testimony before a crowd
Of curious, but dsinterestcd, persons.
The President is also to be commended
for having coupled denunciation of rape
with a condemnation of lynching. Too
many cry out against the lawless pun
isEment without saying anything against
the horrible crime which arouses the an
ger of the people If some of the en-
thusiasm that is spent in passing reso-
lutions denouncing mob law was employed
in condemning the unspeakable beastialiry
that provokes summary punishment there
would be fewer instances of mob law.
The fact that the President did not
l..
shows that the lynchings and burpings
in Northern States have convinced him
that race prejudice is as strong in IL
llrois, Indiana, Delaware and Kansas as
in Mississippi, Georgia, Alabama or
Texas.
1t may be we'll in this connection to
consider race prejudice for a moment
in connection with mob law. That
tnere's such thing must be admitted.
1t is written on every page of history
and is not likely to disappear soon. 1t
must be remembered, toog that the negro
has as much prejudice against the white
nan as the white man has against the
negro, and if the negro was in a position
to rule the white man there is rea-
son to doubt that the white man would
have reason to complain. This was ap-
parent in the carpet-bag days and is APP
parent today wherever it can find express
sion.
A sense of Justice however, restraints
this prejudice and it is not often that
either the white man or the negro says
anything in the presence of the other
that is calculated to offend. Color is
not a matter of choice, neither can it
be changed by will or by law. 1t Is,
therefore as unkind to taunt man
with being black as it is unreasonable
for black man to be angered by such
taunt.
A man is to be praised or blamed &C
cording to the use he makes OF his tai
snts or opportunities, not by his IN
herited advantages. The fact that negro
is lynched by mob because of an out
rage upon woman ought not to increase
the race prejudice that exists. White mer
are lynched for the same crime. Neither
must the white mans feeling towards thu
negro be judged by his conduct when un
der great excitement Man mad is an en-
tireIy different creature from man de
liberate Men in anger have killed faith
ers wives. brothers, sons and friends
they have broken every tie of love and
friendship.
Suffrage qualifications cannot be at
tributed to race prejudice, for suffrage
qualifications are to be found in nearly
all countries and have been employed IL
many of our own States. They have beer
EMPLOYED by white men against members
of the white race and by people of every
color against people of their own color
Woman suffragists complain that womer
are disfranchised and such disfranchlse
ment cannot be explained on the grounc
of race prejudice either, for husband ant
wife. mother and SON, are not only OF thu
same race, but are linked together b!
the strongest bonds known
The suffrage amendments in the South
40 much complained of by Republican
politicians. are not nearly so severe al
the Republican colonial policy IN the
Philippines.
First-In every Southern State some o
the negroes can vote now, and all Others
can qualify themselves for suffrage; IL
the Philippines the inhabitants are per
manently disqualified.
Second-The negroes in the South, ever
when they cannot vote, have the protection
of Federal and state constitutions; tn
FiIipino has no constitutional protection
whatever.
Third-The negroes in the South liv'
under the laws that the white man make
for himself; the Filipino lives under law
that we make for him and would not iiv'
under ourselves
While the brown man of the Orient 4
faring worse than the black man III thu
South, the Republican leaders are stirring
up race antagonism in this country in or
der to keep the colored vote solid for thu
Republican party. Even the presiden
has contributed more than his share to the
agitation. When he has appointed col
ored man to office he has done it with ;
flourish of trumpets and brass band &C
compartment that the world might know
that the door" was wide open. Wher
colored postmistress was objected to hi
refused to allow her to resign and CLOSED
the office-and did it allay race prejudice,
No: it did more to excite race prejudice
than any 10 colored appointments that
President Mckinley made.
The Booker T. Washington dinner al
the White House did even more than tn.