The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-05-03
lGJ7A1ORS AND THE NEGROES.
f,0v. LONGING AND JAMES HILL,
rOLORED, GIVE OPINIONS.

-,. Co,crno- Says the Negroes Status In
.,,,J,,ippi Is FIXED rre,ocR b,!-IIlll
sa,. The Recent Agitation Has set
E,s Race Far Eack IN Progress.
1.rEsoS Mss. April :9.--tiov Longino.
orr i, making canvass Of the State in
onrosi,on to Senator Money for the United
States Senatorshp, is counted among the
conservative element in Mississippi He
NAV b. said to represent that element
both on the negro question and on all other
issues which come up for discussion re-
sarding State and national matters. His
brother-n-law, Edgar S. Wilson. is the
United States Marshal here, and is regarded
A. the advis err referee it is called-of the
President in the matter of Federal appoint
msnts in Mississippi. and the Governor
himself could fairly he called one of the
most liberal and tolerant constrIctionists
Of the Administration policy.
While in his campaign speeches he has
discussed the negro issue as injected into
the campaign by the Presidents course
during the present campaign with more
moier Iton ofexpress'on than has S.nltor
Money, yet his views on the subject are
as pronounced as are those of all other
Southern men. Asked for an expression
Of these views. the Governor made for THE
SIN the following statement
80 far as the negro question In Missis.
spp lie practically and leg!timately con-
cerned. the status is fixed for the present
and it will in my opinion remain thus fixed
for generations to come. Under the opera
tons Of our present Constitution the negro
Ia no longer a pol tical factor in the State
Public opinion against social equality is so
unanimous and positive among the white
people OF the State that the negro could
take no position, though he were political
factor. which could even suggest the posi-
bility Of his attaining social equality with
the whites. and so far as am advised he is
not attempting to do so. Such position
is wholly beyond he bounds Of possibility
or even plausible theory.
The status Of the races is in my judg-
uent irpnutably established both by public
opinion and the laws of the State and is
likely TO remain so for all time. at least
within the lives OF the white men now living,
and am unable TO see either the wisdom
Or justice Of discussion Of the negro cues
ton at this time.
The only explanation of such agitation
at present is 10 be found Uncertain actions
of the present national administration
In the preferment Of the negro in certain
instances which hes brought about uri-
tatio1 on the part OF the whites toward the
President and incidentally toward the gro
also. Thu Indianola post office affair, the
Booker Washington incident and the Crum
appointm ,nt have produced such disap-
proval and irritation Of public sentiment
sn>1y thu Whites a. to precipitate a fao-
ti:ious negro question. The said Incl
dents for tho cams reason hnve made it
possible to so arouse prejudice that men
who would not otherwise Go 60 will new
is,a, atte.lsivs'y or with approva! to the
advocacy OF propositions which, II put into
practice, would be a great bar to educa-
'ional progress in the State.
Whatever may be the ultimate results
q such untlmely prejudices, the fact re-
mains that opposition to the negro has re-
ca.vel renewed vitality, and new passions
have been aroused by what the Southern
people regard as an unfortunate policy by
tho Federal Administration toward the
negro. Tho Presidents conduct in tie
matters above enumerated. no matter how
worthy may have been the motives prompt
Ing him. has the effect Of injuring the negro
bT arous!ng the prejudices Of certain of
the whites against him and OF making IL
more difficult for conservative people to
h,ld the N ore intolerant in cheek and for
the exercise of that kindly sympathy and
helping hand which the superior race might
extend toward the negro tending toward |
the bettermsnt of his condition. Thus tie |
negroes themselves are injured on account
Of the encendered prejudices which polit- ,
,na. agItators eagerly seize upon to adj |
vanra their political fortunes.
Inc negroes q nile In this State do
not dream Of social equality or desire pr lit
zeal supremacy. They are contented with
their status, fixed by law and by public
saatlm .lt, and il let alone would be happy
N the SOUTH. where the People know them
best AID are their best fIierdsp
there is no c1lored man In Mississippi
VINO has more influence with people Of his
respect of the whites than James Hill Of
This city; He Is a battle-scarrcd veteran
OF Republican politics at that. During
tns reconstrurtion spree he was Secretary
Of State of Mississippi When in 1875. the
yybsdv ~ wsh h Ga' SHp aehey
hI! was the only one Of the entire eroup
In ONCE at the time who came out OF IL still
rstainins the REGARD OF the decent people
Of the State, The whites OF Mississippi
has grown rather than diminished. He
was was member of the Republican National
Committee and he was appointed bv the
11te Pres liant Mckinley Register of Public
tlai. r., ao31int n,lt WAS rscsive1
by ne whites with entire equaninnity and
acauiesconce.
Mr. Hill, like Booker Washington, has
strong ad mixture Of white blood in his
veins snd, like Booker Washin yton also,
takes the position that the future Of the
negro depends upon the negro himself
~ believes in full acquiesoence In present
ronditions in all that touches social equality
ana the Constitutional provisions regard
hns the ballot He was a close friend Of
douglass and had many conferences with
mn regarding what was best calculated
20 promote the true welfare Of the negroes
10 10 me South. Long before Booker Wash
mn Sfo work began both Douglass and
nili reached the opinion that the only
RATIONAL way Of Hiring the recently en-
!ittanch;scd negroes upward was to teach
,hhcn habits OF industry and open up to
'nsn avenues OF material advancement
nv was the idea Of Mr.. Hill TO begin this
me OF work by some industrial enterprise