The Savannah morning news., 1903-09-29
HIT THE KEY NOTE
JUDGE AGREES WITH BISHOP
TURNER ON RACE QUESTION.
DEPORTATION THE SOLUTION.
SAYS CIVILIZATION OF NEGRO IS
HOPELESS TASK.

Judge Norwood Thinks That While
Bishops Reasoning Is Faulty His
Conclusions Are Right-BelieVes
That influence of Negro Is Detri-
mental TO the White Race-COlOred
Lenders Utterances OccasiOned
Much DiscussiOn-Views of Cues
ton Were Varied-OpiniOns of
Col. j. IL. Devereaux and Rev.
Richard Bright.
The utterances of Bishop Turner of
the African Methodist Episcopal
Church concerning the solution of the
negro question, which were fully Civ
en- in the Morning News, gave rise to
a great deal of discussion yesterday.
Prominent members of both races read
the speech of the colored divine with
much interest because of the weight
which the utterances of so recognized
a leader of his race must be given
Opinion was, of course, divided. The
complexion of the discussion varied
about as did the complexion of those
who engaged in the discussion. In the
end it seemed that no one offered
solution of the question, the weight of
opinion being that the proposition was
one which would solve itself. There
was decided variance of opinion as to
whether the matter was now ripe for
solution. Whether or not this be So
it was evident from the discussion
which the words of Bishop Turner pre-
cipitated that the question is live
one.
The opinion of Judge FIemas M.
Norwood~of the City Court is perhaps
entitled to the greatest measure of
consideration. Both because of his
comprehensive knowledge of all public
questions and his conception of the
traits and character of the negro, as
gained during his long service on the
bench. his opinion carries weight.
Judge Norwood Says He's Right.
Bishop Turner, is. in my opinion,
entirely right in his views about the
deportation of the negro" he said.
His reasoning is faulty, but his con-
clusion is right. 1 have believed for
the last thirty years that the white
race and black race could not live
together with the black race by law
having all the privileges and rights
with the white race. The two are the
extremes of the human family. Bish-
op Turner says the American negro
is the lowest type of the African
which is true-and those two races
can never be brought together without
the degradation of the higher race.
The moral conceptions of the two
races are too wide apart. Any one who
has studied the African race in the
light of phylogemy must be satisfied
that the race is incapable of develop
ment TO make it the associate of the
Saxon race. The nature of the negro
is the result of millions of years of
barbarism, and whatever civilization
he has manifested has been nothing
but the reflex of association with the
white race. His appreciation of law
is too low for him ever TO be made
good citizen. We see this all over the
country almost every day exem2ified
Is a FaIlncy.
1.-THE hope of some philanthropists
that education can elevate the negro
TO make him a fit associate with the
white race is, in my judgment. the
greatest falacy of the day. There are
"a few exceptions. such as Booker
Washington, Bishop Turner Council
and a few others whose examples mis-
lead the people of the North. They
think that because these few are edu-
Gated the great mass of negroes in this
country can be brought to the same
an error that is being gradually under
stood by people who reflect, and with
in a few years / believe the majority
of them will come to the conclusion
that the civilization of the negro is a
hopeless task.
within the last thirty years the
white race by the example of the
negro has all over the country de-
Perforated in morals and in regard for
human life. This has been brought
about by the negro's utter disregard
for law and the rights of others. and,
in my opinion, il will increase rather
than diminish. The negros idea of
law is simply a license to do whateve
his appetites and passions for the mo-
ment dictate.
Il do not mean by this to include
all the race. by any means. There
are few exceptions. but they go 10
emphasize the rule. This view of the
from observation, from the history of
the last thirty years, and from my
experience on the bench"
Collector Deveaux's Idea.
Collector of Customs ]. II. Deveaux
had not read Bishop Turner'S Atlanta
speech when seen by a Morning News
reporter, but when he was told
the sense of the speech he said he
thought the best thing he could say
NOAid NC ~ AAOAe Aibill lllH EBHtAL
made in Atlanta last August.
The negro, he said, 'is being used
as a football all over the land no mat
ter what the gathering Of white people
may be for. or what the theme for the
orator may be- he brings I'm the ever
lasting sO-called Negro Problem, out,
and the burden Of their labor and their
conclusion Is that they are a very SUI
periOr Sace and that the negro ~ a
very inferior animal
The friction ~ the races Is on, and
that, TOO, ln very acute form. This
friction is caused by the action 81 the
iawless elements Of both races 10 the
main, started BY some idle. common
fagabond committing assaults and
ouiraRes On defenselesF women. ana
the equally criminal conduct ~ n0bs
IN taking tie law in fheir own hands
ana lgnchinR the alleged criminal. tha
NenNf in peaFly every Instance being
nstfpft There lf 30 excuse Tor lynch-
hG Esfn y - certain fhet the Dend