The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-11-04
Spirit of the Press.
THE FREAK DISEASE COMING
SOUTH.

Charlotte Observer, had very fiattering
review of the latest copy of the South
Atlantic Quarterly, a magazine published
at Trinity College. 1t especially com
mended that number to people who think.
In looking over the contents we must
take the charitable view that our con-
temporary is like Sidney Smith, who did
not like to read book before reviewing
it lest he should become prejudiced. For
this particular number of the Quarterly
contains a symposium of freakishness by
q syndicate of freaks that must bring
sigh of regret from every friend of the
college, which in a way stands sponsor
for the magazine The most sensational
article is that by Professor Bassett, en-
titled, Stirring up the Fires of Race
Antipathy." The professor may congratu-
late himself on kindling quite little bon
fire of his own. Ordinarily we should
suppose that Professor Bassett were simp-
ly advertising himself as candidate for
a Northern professorship. But DR.. Kilgo
and Professor Minis chime in, and we
suppose they do not all intend to emf
CRATE So the only theory left is that the
freak disease which breaks out in the
North now and then, very frequently in
cut at Trinity. 1t has become neces-
sary to attract attention and these dis
tinguished gentlemen are for the moment,
standing on their heads and thinking with
their brainless feet.
Professor Bassetts paper is so startling
that the New York Sun declares of it and
of the others, that they might have been
written in New York or Boston, London
or Edinburgh" Considering the ignor
ance that is displayed in these centers
concerning the negro and the South, the
compliment of the Sun is rather a back
handed one.
We publish elsewhere some extracts
from Professor Bassett. Dr. Kilgo, in so
far as he understands it, gives his en-
dorsement, as it were, by declaring that
'the cry of social equality between the
races is a political hocuspocus of the
hugest sort and is no part of the negro
problem Professor Bassett, however,
thinks that sin spite of our race feeling
the negroes will win equality, at some
time" and that mot even a black skin and
a fat nose can justify caste in this coun-
try" So Professor Bassett and DR..
Kilgo did not entirely 'homologate" ere
they went into print.
And then Professor Minis comes up
smiling and says: when a Southern
writer speaks of the civilization of the Old
South as the sweetest purest and most
beautiful in the history of the world, he
needs to know something of other civiliza-
TONS
The News does not care to give express
sion to the condemnation that will fo>
low this remarkable outburst wherever it
is read by men who know the truth about
Southern conditions. The Bassett article
especially is a piece of clotted nonsense
from beginning to end. He takes the ne
gros view of what equality" means,
namely the opportunity to foist himself
where he is not wanted, in the compan-
ionship of the white race, at their tables,
in their schools And from his treat
ment of the Booker Washington dinner
and the Hamlet Dining Room, it is evil
dent that the Professor thinks this social
separation a bad thing Well. the sug
gestion will arise as to a practical carry
ing out of the idea. Just open Trinity
to negro students. If not, why not?
Professor Bassett thinks that Booker
Washington is 1.-The greatest man, save
Lee. born in the South in hundred
his superiority to a few Southern men,
Stonewah Jackson, jefferson Davis, and
the military leaders of the Confederacy, to
Teombs, or Ben Hill, or Stephens, or
Lamar; to Wade Hampton. or Zeb. |
Vance, to Hoge or Palmer or Broadus or
Minnegerode or Marvin or w. w. Moore, |
to Alderman or Dabney or several 9th |
ers. Measured simply by the ability to
get endowment for his college. DR.. Kilgo
is almost Booker's equal. But we can
make one admission on this line. We
really do not believe that Booker Wash |
ington. considering the welfare of his IN
stitution. could have made quite such an
egregious ass of himself as has Professor |
Bassett. And then there run through this
whole business the sneers and gIbes at the |
South that would make one sick at heart |
if they did not make the blood boil at
the same time. Prfessor Bassett says OF
the truest of all Southern Interpreters,
Thomas Nelson Page. Mr.. Thomas Mel |
son Pages castles were castles III the |
air." We should like to ask where Pro
lessor Bassett was raised" it he knows
nothing about 1.-The benign old man or
gracious nanny, a guardian OF the family |
children and dienified expression in
ebony of the family honor" Let him
shinny on his own side. If he is alto
gether ignorant of a character shat Is
familiar to every well-bred Southern man
and woman, in memory or almost sacred
tradition, he is welcome to his ignorance
with all that it implies, but lei him keep
quiet about it. And Professor Minis
thinks it simply ignorance Of other civili-
cations that exalts the old lite OF the
South for its sweetness and purity and
beauty The same to Professor Minis
But ii these gentlemen will allow us to
put our finger on the sore spot, they
have been accusing North CarQrna and
the South so long of intolerance and have
supposed So often that people never had
any aberty of speech or of thought in
the South until they arose at Trinity.
that their liberty is degencratlng INTO IL
cense They have found that liberty is
not a sufficient advertisement. Liberty |
is worth fighting for when it is really
denied. But the man who wants more
liberty than the free man is entitled to,
wants federation for asininity and takes