Rural Retreat times. [volume] (Rural Retreat, Va.) 1892-1918, 1903-05-29
simmons ON
|s-
RACE Problem
North Carolina Senator Chief Speaker
at Banquet in New York.
EXCLUSIVELY A SOUTHERN QUESTION
The South has Attempted to Settle
that in way Satisfactory
to itself and believes will
prove satisfactory to
the North.

L
DINA Society held it's third annual ban
quet tonight at the WaldorfAstoria,
President B. N. Duke, presiding. Two
hundred sons of the state, with their
guests, attended. At the guests table
| were United States Senator Simmons,
| Of North Carolina, who responded to
| the toast "The Race Problem in the
South" DR.. George f. Winston, whose
| theme was 1.-THE New North State"
Senator Chauncel M. Depew, DR.. ]. N.
Steel, president of the Maryland So
cicty; Robert G. Ogden, president of
the Pennsylvania Society; w. E. Gray
bill, president of the Georgia Society
and John M. Harrington, president of
the Southern Society of New York
City. =
Senator Simmons was introduced by
President Duke.
Senator Simmons address was de-
voted almost entirely TO a discussion
of the negro race problem. He held
that while the north does not admit
that the negro question is an exclu
sively southern QUESTION it does adj
nit that it is a question in which the
south is more deeply interested and
sWbiclfsit understands better Wan any
qther section and that .thEsls1 shows
a. growing tendency tQ seeefe that
Efhe attitude of the'~south. se%aoels the
Enagro IS honest. and sintsres ard that
itsmeontention. that the negro is in
comprehension government finds
substantial support in the actual ex-
perience. of the south with the negro
l as q voter
i Tine spresent conditions of the negro
| present TIRES 6Bfenis-social, politi-
cal and Industrial. The social prob
lem has been settled by the south,
so far as it is concerned. irrevocably.
| One and all, now and at all times, they
refuse to even SO much as to consider
the suggestion of social equality or
social intercourse with the negro. In
their view that would mean degrade
ton for the white man without COM
pensating benefits for the black. This
is southern condition which is in
exorable and absolutely nothing can
change it.
AS to the political question, the
south has attempted to settle that i'll
way reasonably satisfactory to it
self and in a way which it believes
will prove satisfactory to the north.
"By one device or another" said.
Senator Simmons, eve have taken the
ballots from the illiterate negro, not
for political advantages; but, as we
believe, for his good and for the coun-
try's good and for our own salvation.
The manner of his Acknowledgement
may seem harsh and inequitable, but
as matter of fact it is neither. EXpa-
rience has conclusively proved that
| the negro possesses no inherent capa-
cities for self-government such as our
race undoubtedly has and~that. he cam
not be safely trusted with the ballot
until he shows an attained capacity to
use it. We are content to leave to the
lcourts the question of the constitu-
tionality of these acts of disfranchise-
ment.
'The question of reduction of south
ern representation in congress as q
result of these DISTINGUISHING acts Is
one for discussion. We hold that these
non-voters are as much subject to the
law as the voters We have. disfran-
chised the negro, but we have not
abolished him or his family. They
( still exist. Why then, should they
not have the same representation in
lcongIcss as is given to other non-voters
of the country. If it was wrong to dis
| franchise these negroes would not the
remedy proposed (reduced representa-
| tio1) be a greater wrong? But If
| the worst comes to the worst, if the
north is determined to consider this
question from the standpoint of poli-
teal advantage and we may choose
| between reduction of representation
| and unrestricted negro suffrage, the
| south will not hesitate in making its
choice. Men do not hesitate in making
choice between life and death even
| though life be conditioned on oppres-
| sive terms.
1.-THE negro industrial situation does
not present a present, but only a pros
pective problem. Up to the present
time the negro has confined his ACTIVE
ties chiefly to doing domestic and men
ial service in the north and farm work
y the south. For these occupations
i he is fitted and in their pursuit there
has been but little friction between
him and his white co-laborers. But it
is now proposed to attempt the edu-
cation of the negro mechanics or arti-
Isans We believe that no great NUM-
Der of negro mechanics or artisans
could secure employment in competi-
ton with whites in the great factories
or other industrial concerns of the
country.
Upon the southern farm the negro
is constantly surrounded and safe
i guarded by influences which tend tt
protect him against the temptations tt
(which his weak and credulous natur,
| is peculiarly subject. There he il