Goldsboro weekly argus. [volume] (Goldsboro, N.C.) 1885-1909, 1903-05-28
THE RACE PROBLEM.
SENATOR SIMMONS TALKS ON
IT IN NEW YORK.
Strong, Clear, Logical and Correct
Presentation of the South's At
titude and Sentiment To-
wards the Negro as
a Race.
a Race.

Senator Simmons was invited to
speak before the North Carolina So
ciety in New York, at their annual
banquet at the Waldorf-Asto last
night, on "The Race Problem in the
South"
Senator Simmons was introduced
by President Duke.
Senator Simmons address was de-
voted almost entirely to discus
sion of the negro race problem. He
held that while the North does not
admit that the negro question is an
exclusively Southern question it
does admit that it is question in
which the South is more deeply in
terested, and which it understands
better than any other section.
AS to the political question the
South has attempted to settle that in
a way reasonably satisfactory to it.
self and in a way which it believes
will prove reasonably satisfactory to
the North.
ssBy one device Or another" said
Senator Simmons, 1--WE have taken
the ballots from iiliterate negroes,
not for political purposes, but, as we
believe, for his good and for the
country's good and for our own sal
walton. The manner of his disfran-
chisement may seem harsh and in
equitable, but as q matter of fact ii is
neither. Experience has conclusive
ly proven that the negro possesses no
inherent capacity for rselfgovernment,
such as our race undoubtedly has and
the ballot until he shows All attained
capacity to use it. We are content
to leave to the courts the question Of
the constitutionality of these acts Of
disfranchisement.
tThe question of reduction of
Southern representation in Congress
as a result of these disfranchising acts
is one for discussion. We hold that
these non-vOters are as much subject
to the law as the voters. We have
disfranchised the negro, but we have
not abolished him or his family.
They still exist. Why, then, should
they not have the same representa-
ton in Congress as is given to other
non-voters Of the country. If it were
wrong to disfranchise these negroes
would not the remedy proposed (re-
duced representation be a greater
wrong? But if the worst comes to
the worst, if the North is determined
to consider this question from the
standpoint Of political advantage and
we must choose between reduction OF
representation and unrestricted negro
suffrage, the South will not hesitate
in making its choice. Men do not
hesitate in making choice between
life and death, even though life be
conditioned on oppressive terms.
ssThe negro industrial situation
does not present present, but only
a prospective problem. Up to the
present time the negro has confined
his activities chiefly to doing domes
tic and menial service in the Nortf
and farm work in the South. Fol
these occupations he is fitted and IL
their pursuit there has been but little
friction between him and his whit
co-laborers. But it is now proposed
To attempt the education of the negr
as mechanic and artisan. We be
Heve that no great number of negr
mechanics or artisans could secur
employment in competition wit
whites in. the great factories or othe
industrial concerns of the country.
aUpon the Southern farm the ne
oro is constantly surrounded an
safeguarded by influences whlc
tend to protect him against the tenn
tations to which his weak and cree
ulous nature is peculiarly supJec
There he is strengthened, encourage