Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-06-04
A Negro on the Negro.

deal with the problem without any help
or advice from the people of the North.
They not only prefer to do this, but
they insist on it in terms not always
complimentary or courteous to the
well meaning philanthropists and hu-
them put forth arguments which are
worthy of serious consideration. 1t
comes as something of surprise, how
ever to find a negro, colored clergy
man, Rev. Nelson T. Baker by name,
who lives in Pittsfield, Mass, holding
practically the same view as the
southern whites, and sounding the
same Hands Off" to the North. In
the Congregational he has a paper
which is certain to attract wide atten-
ton.
BY way of introduction he tells the
Incident Of the remark which fell from
Fred Douglass's lips when he first saw
negroes in Congress. 'They are COM
Ing too soon.' said the old man elo-
quent That, Mr.. Baker thinks, is the
misfortune which weighs upon his
race today. The negro's well-mean-
ing, ill-judgng friends at the North
of hurry; it's a case of "too soon" all
around. Even now some of these
friends who don't know any better are
making a clamor about disfranchise
ment. the separation of the races in
schools, etc. To Mr.. Baker the elevat-
! Ing of the standard of citizenship any
where seems cause for rejoicing. THE
wrong done in this matter will prove
itself to be wholly against the white
man., he says. II am not able to see
why the so,called intelligent negro is
making such ado over this matter. l
suspect that somewhere behind the
curtain might be seen the monkeys
jaw of the carpet Dagger doing its
work"
AS for the separate school, this negro
. clergyman tells the northern brethren
that it is no wrong at all, but a thing
necessary under the actual conditions
and positive benefit to both races.
Mixed schools would have been worse
for the negro children than for the
white children; and it would have
been bad for these, since they would
have dominecred, inevitably, in school
room and playground. Mr.. Baker
would be glad to see the separation
. braries for negroes, with negro. Ii
brarians handling the books. He is
quite sure that the separate school
stands for goodwill and not for malice.
1--WE ought not to force upon children
what they believe to be wrong" he
; says. Both the colored boy and the
white boy in the South think it wrong
for them to be in school together. The
cclored child needs to be taught that Il
colored teacher is to be respected as
much as Il white one. A negro boy in
one of the leading schools of the South
in which cOlorcd teachers are en-
ployed, said one day in great earnest
ness, These teachers think they are
as good as white ladies' That boy is
no NOR" ready to go into n school with
white children than the white boy is
to receive him"
A real wrong and great one is
done to negroes, Mr. Baker thinks
when they are made to think their one
hope is to become white men. The
white blood in the veins of some of
them he considers a curse as well as Il
shame. The true hope of the negro is
to become a fully developed black man
--"all his racial possibilities raised to
their highest powers"
One or two of the things said by this
negro clergyman must surprise the
northern philanthropists-mo likely
will excite and anger them. For in
stance: mo white man knows the
negro as well as the Southern white
man: and if he will be fair and do it.
he knows how to draw the circle that
will not prove to be premature I
think all who know the situation agree
that he has done this in the matter of
separation in the schools In
spite of the wrongs against him, the
negro still has confidence in the first
families of the South. There is feel
ing between them which the Northern
man does not understand and, for the
sake of my race, 1 wish he would keep
his hands off until he does under
stapd. 1t is not a question as to what
the few are ready for, but rather,
what the masses are not ready for
would suggest that before
having over-much to say about the
Wrongs of the, South against the negro,
our Northern friends would read often
and mediate much upon Matt.
vii: s-5." The passage of Scripture here
commended to Our thoughtful perusal