The sun., 1903-04-30
NgCRo'S PLACE IN THB SOUTH
,oBy n. KIRBY ON HIS ML4-
TJONs TO THE WHITES.
.,,,r.tion. Of the Negro to sec'si Equality
with whites the Chief Cloud on the
Hor,ron- Education should Teach the
Yerro How Futile Such Hopes Are.

Ior,,on-Educatio should Teach the
Xerro How Futile Such Hopes Are.
vvw ORLEANS, April 2s.-One Of the cap
..,,s ~ industry In the South Ia John II.
V,rhv Of Houston. Tex, president OF the
"a; Kirby Lumber Company. He is q
80 Of Texas and has reached the posi-
.,an ~ being the largest lumber producer
w ,ho Tnitei States, II not in the world. He
,s only Il years old.
Mr. Kirby has as wide q personal ac-
,naintance as probably any man In the
18th Born In the South he Is not only
,horouchly oonversant with its industrial
conditions but being large employer Of
,shor especially negro labor, he under
s,snds the race problem In every phase.
uls views on this subject are timely, there
fore In view OF the revival OF ill-feeling IN
,be South owing to the recent stand taken
nv the Federal Administration. Mr.. Kirby
bss been here for a few days. He gave
these views on the negro question to The
sry's correspondent:
The civil liberty Of the negro Is not the
question now agitating the minds Of the
southern people In regard to the recent
upheaval OF the entire question, but rather
The elements contained In the aspirations
OF few OF the colored people In regard to
attaining even a modioum of social equal
inv with the white race. To tho Southerner
who. from force Of long association, has
imbibed his own opinion as to the status
Of the negro practically from his mothers
breast, the question IL not one surrounded
by complex or unsolvable conditions.
THE negro being here. and having been
here from the birth OF the Southerner Of
to-day. Is entitled to recognition and a
lust and equitable treatment as long as
be recognizes the physical and social limi-
tations which nature and the Almighty
have placed upon the black race. When
onoe the negro oversteps the bounds Of
moderation and attempts to force himself
and his institutions upon his superiors,
then the reckoning must inevitably follow
the transgression.
'The southerner u not prejudiced against
the negro. He is better qualified to oon-
sider the few elements contained In the
proposition than Il his brother north OF
The Potomac who, from sentimental reason.
inS and foundation based upon wrong
premise, disregards natural conditions in
an endeavor to create artificial ones without
the experience which only . lifetime OF
Of any particular value.
THE negro OF ante -bellum days Il the
negro who, unfortunately, IL becoming
enly a small part OF the black skin ned
Anily In the South: Taught by their
masters the proper lessons OF humllity
social barriers which will forever bar the
progress OF the negro beyond the social
environment which at present hedges his
d,gnain. the old slave negro and his chill
dren were well cared for, suffered no want,
were faithful. industrious, and were a most
important and component part Of the
South, as well as important and faithful
factors in the individual white families
Of the South to whom old Nanny and
Uncle Dave were part Of the home life.
They enjoyed the affection and trust Of
their superiors and returned an humble
love and service which were practically y
unsQualled In the history Of all like condi-
y cannot say that believe in the doctrine
chat education ruins the negro, for while
II may unfit him In sense for being a
hewer Of wood and q drawer Of water. 1t
Ahould, II education means anything, force
Aim to an -intalleotYel condition whercin
hs should moro firmly realize his position
and recognize the Inherent restrictions
Of his RAGS IN regard to the social conditions
In Texas the negro is denied mono Of
his OWL rights. He ats on juries; votes
when he has paid his poll tax; brings and
defends suits ut law, and there never has
been q complaint that any court OF the
State refused to enforce his rights or re-
color As In all other States Of the South.
be has equal educational facilities with
the whites, disregarding the fact that he Is
rarely, or only to the slightest degree, a
property-tax payer. We find 1t imp ossible
Northern coadjutors, and from experienoe
and a better recognition Of existing con-
ditions, the negro 10 taught In his own
schools, and thus the excuse Ii denied for
the social equality which his treatment IN
the Northern and Eastern educational In
Httutions would seem to imply to be his
prerogative.
In Texas as In other Of the Southern
States the negro In required to attend htsown
school, his own church, to ride In separate
coaches on the railroads, to occupy separate
waiting rooms In the railroad stations, and
apart from their white friends who neither
seek nor desire their society.
In development. He hlls q peculiar sphere
IN commerce. agriculture and IN manu-
factuIes. Hi: physiological makeup
tasteful to the white people, and for which
he is better fitted by reason OF Inherited
instincts and attributes. In this the
thoughtful men Of all parts Of the United
States agree. He has contributed largely
10 the agricultural development OF the
Southern States and numbers among his
warmest friends tho white planters and
farmers who make use OF his services.
His value as a laborer In all industrial work
Is cordially recognised and he 10 paid In
proportion to his value. There u not tho
slightest disposition to mistreat or deny
him all equitable rights, nor will there be
any, in my opinion, so long a. he conserves
the public welfare by attending to his own
business and remaining faithful to his In
stftutions.
There is a great deal Of useless and
harmful agitation in these discussions OF
the negro question, particularly by the pa
pere OF the North and East which reason
by theory rather than by argument based
upon even an average knowledge OF the
subject. The negro OF the North is not tho
negro Of the South. His material environ
ment differs absolutely, for, while the
former is employed In occupations which
keep him constantly and closely In touch
with the dominant race, In the South he
labors in the field and the farmyard and In
channels Of energy which. while controlled
by the white man, do not necessarily mean
an association in any sense other than that
which exists between the employer and
the employed. Because OF the great pre-
ponderance Of the negro race In the South
The South should be let alone and permitted
70 determne the question by the ethics
which govern the situation. viewed from
me Southerner's standpoint.
Fully 20 per cent. OF the Southern people
absolutely ignore racial agitation except