The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1903-05-04
Bishop Hoisey's Letter.

Bishop hOIS@y LSttei-
Elsewhere The Constitution gives
space to a communication from Bishop
L. H. IIolsey, OF the Colored Metho-
dist Fpisc0pal church. resident OF
this city. in which he gives his view
o. the so-called race problem Ill the
south and very much q a problem
this colored clergyman makes II. ms
viewpoint. based we think. on an or
roneous premise, Offers neither soiu-
ton nor an optimistic hope.
Bishop Hoisey. a well-gr0omed pre-
late Of religious denomination or
gained from the south's distinct ne
gro social organism, tacitly denies
thai a society based on race can eX-
list within society, to apply the
principle OF imperium III imperio to
the hcrding OF races by themselves
i'm common country. under com
mon government. The success OF the
church organization which this col
ored bishop represents. and his per
sonal success in attaining station
and mode OF life SO far above that OF
the average southern negro. causes
The logic OF his contention to fall like
house OF cards. The segregation OF
the TWO races is not a question OF
colonization it is already an accom-
plished TACT. and ii is to such con
dition that Bishop Iolsey owes not
only his official dignity but his in
teIectual and social advancement.
lie has risen by reason OF the pref
udjcc." II he pleases which has forced
The negro race in America 10 herd by
itself. ard ne viii hardly be willing
to argue that the social Fabric which
supports biz is a sham and snare,
incompatible with The black mans
well-heing.
Sucn progress as the negro has
made In the south and ii is indispu-
table that his progress has been graft
wing must be regarded as the result
of his racia isolation in a social sense
Philanthropy has interested itself in
the negro because he had his separate
society. with its necessary ciyilizing
institutions. to bull up and maintain.
The white people of the south, recOg-
niziug ha need of the negro moral.
mammal ana mental development. have
been the largest contributors TO his
distinctive institutions They have
done much to build and maintain his
churches and schools Does Bishop
nolsey claim these distinctiyely col
ored institutions society within
a society must be set down as a Fail
urc?
If so, why? If not. why. as our
correspondent asserts is the abstract
negro disgruntled with the existing
order and The alleged breach between
the races constantly widening? II is,
forsooth. because in South Carolina.
where. as mere physical entities, the
negroes are in the ascendency numer-
ically the governor legislators and
county and city officials are not ne
ErOes the negro does not attend the
same church as the white man and
his children the same school as the
white mans children. and the races
are separated in car and depot? If it,
is not this what is TO be implied by
the bishops declaration that the evou-
ton Of The negro under the superior
educational advantages he enjoys in
his separate society can never bring
him to the privileges Of the best cid
zenship or allow him 10 be equal 10
the white people in civil life" There
are some things as ;hs writer con
cludes. which can never be until
the Ethiopian changes his skin, or
the leopard hi spots; but these
things arc not vital to negro progress
or the rational contentment Of the ne
gro in the Unite states.
Under the social segregation Of the
negro he has furnished examples of
individual capacity creditable to his
race and his opportunities. His own
institutions, through white help mu-
nificently bestowed. are every day suf-
ficing to develop the best that is in
him. # he is educated classcally he
may become q bishop if industrially.
a fairly paid constantly employed me
chanic Ii he is unlettered and IMAM
bilious. ne has an equal chance with
the white man of the corresponding
type as day laborer or farm hand.
He can save his earnings and accu-
mulatc property like any white man.
What more would he? What is ailing
him. Surely. among ten or more mil
lions Of "AtrO-Americans' he can find
scope for his professional ambitions.
and among twice that number of white
people there is abundant employment
for him
Bishop ElOlsey should be too wise
man to speak of such chimerical
thing as wholesale negro emigration
and exclusive colonization. There is
no longer a Chinese wall around any
portion of the earth, nor can there be
on account of race, religion or political
economy. Human society was never
so cosmopolitan as now No race can
withdraw itself from other races and
draw a dead-line against encroach-
ment In habitat and trade the races
mingle, whether congenially or not
On the high seas you will find ships
crews composed Of every race and ma
tionality under the sun. The negro
colonist could never get away from
the white man, not if he returned to
his ancestral jungles on the Congo.
IF he remained civilized he could not
five without the white man. Any one
familiar with the serpent-worship and