The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-07-19
DR.. LYMAN ABBOTT
ON The NEGRO,
Equality Before the Law
Does Not Mean Univer-
sal Suffrage

49, $500 ~ o.
(Extracts from DR.. Lyman Abbotts Adj
dress ON the Race Problem at Montelair.
N. j.:
"The negro should be equal to the white
white man.
THE race problem is for the nation 1t
is new one in the history of the world.
THE negro should be equal to the white
man before the law. II the negro is to
be punished by burning at the stake, the
guilty white must receive the same pun
ishment.
But equality before the law does not
mean universal suffrage
THE State is no longer allowed to make
race, color or previous condition of servi
tude bar to suffrage, but it may erect
such a barrier against ignorance, poverty
or immortality
1.-The nation is responsible for its solu-
ton The whole nation must take part.
The North shares with the South re
sponsbility for the existence of the pro
blem We helped bring the negro here
and enslave him here; we refused to let.
the South go out of the Union, take the
negro out and solve the problem by sub
jugation. We set him free, made citl-
of him and gave him to the Southern
States and the Southern States to
him. 1t is the nations problem,
The North must share in its solution.
THE negro must be the equal OF the
white man under the law and before the
courts That cannot be crime II COM
mitted by a negro that is not crime
if committed by white man. But
equality before the law does not mean
equality in character.
"The declaration by our fathers does not
mean that all men are equally tall or equal
in weight, equal in brain power, or equal
in purity of their lives and vigor of their
virtue Nor does it mean that all men are
to perform the same functions in life;
that all are farmers or preachers, or doc
tors or lawyers or law makers. Equality
before the law does not mean universal
suffrage The question of who shall gov
ern was left by the Constitution OF the
United States to be determined by each
State for itself
six Southern States have recently
amended their Constitution so as to define
afresh the right of suffrage. In all these
any man, white or black, may vote if he
owns $500 worth of property and can read
and write the English language. That is
not an unconstitutional provision. 1t is
not inconsistent with liberty, equality or
fraternity. There is no reason for agitat-
ing in the North against it, 1t is not GER
tain that there may not be in it an ex-
ample worthy of consideration in the
North.
ut will not do to advise the negro to
arm himself and defend his right to the
ballot by the shotgun. This is to advise
him to course which can only end in
race destruction. The solution of the
problem is not by calling the South to
account as though it were accused and
we were the judges. Neither vice nor
virture is sectional The Southerners are
not all sinners; the Northerners not all
saints. There are brave men and true
in the South They believe in liberty and
equality. They do not believe in idle
Hess, vice and shiftlessness. They do not
believe in negro domination because,
while SIS per cent of the negro population
cannot read or write. negro domination
means government of society by its ig-
norance and its vice.
but they believe in giving the negro
free chance to work out his own saliva
ton. A higher education for the negro
is needless. We do not teach comic sec
tions in a kindergarten. Where so per
cent of the negroes are poor and ignorant.
10 per cent are thoroughly vicious and
only 10 per. cent are good laborers.'