The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-12-20
SUNDAY. DECEMBER 20, 1909.
The White Mans Duty.

llS w llAkS AVA oAA - ~ -
Rev. E. Tart colored preacher Of
Petersburg, who recently temporarily
oiled the pulpit OF white preacher Of
Platnfield, N. j., says his experience was
embarrassing. That this white congrega.
ton did nothing disagrceable, but were
cold and unsynpathetic. ITO tell you the
truth" he added, the folks up North DO
not treat us colored folks as well as they
do down here In the South we know
exactly where we stand: for the white
people are outspoken in defining our
position. UP North we cannot tell Just
what the attitude OF the whites toward US
will be-
That is the situation and It stmpllfies
the race question. In the South we draw
the line sharply between the races. and
say TO the black man that he must keep
on his side We insist upon absolute sepa-
ration. We insist upon separate schools
and separate hotels and separate railway
ears. We insist that there must be no
sort OF social mixing between the whites
and blacks. We do this In the Interest of
neace; we do i. because to do otherwise
is TO threaten the integrity OF the white
race.
LET tie negro learn once for al" said
Governor Aycock, OF North Carolina, in
his admirable speech before the North
Carolina Society Of Baltimore. that there
is amending separation of the races; that
the two peoples may develop side by side
10 the fullest. but that they cannot In
termingie. Let the white man determine
that no man shall by act or thought or
speech cross this line, and the race
problem will be at an end"
ance. So be it The South is intolerant on
that subject, and must be, for reasons
already stated. IT is tho only possible
modus vivend;. and it Is absurd TO contend
for any other condition. All doctrines to
the contrary is not only absurd. but
Is mischievous, and the teaching OF any
such doctrine TO the white boys OF the
South must not, and will not be tolerated.
races are to live at ennlity, nor that the
whites are under no obligati tons to the
blacks. Duty puts every man. whether
he be white or black and wherever his
station in life may be. under an obllga-
tion--an obligation to do right. The
highar a mans station the greater his
accomplishments. the higher and greater
his responsibility. I'VE owe an oblga-
ton to tho black man." quoting again
from, Governor Aycocks address:
I've brought him here He served us
Well. He is patient and teachable. We
owe him gratitude. Above all, VIC owe
him justice, and we ought not 10 magnify
his faults. We cannot change his color
neither can We ignore his service. Nc
individual ever rose on stepping stone:
Of dead others, to higher things anc
no people can. We must rise by our
selves; We must excuse Judgment il
Righteousness; we must educate not Onl,
ourselves, but sec to It that the ncgr,
has an opportunity for education"
While Insisting upon complete separa
ton Of the races. this paper has also In
sisted that the whites must, In their owl
interest, deal Justly and honorably an
literally with the blacks. We canno
do wrong without suffering for It, Th
recipient OF a wrong may recover fro.
its effect; the man who deals tho blor
does not recover unless he repents an
makes restitution as he may, and eve
then the scars are left, We cannot che;
black man at the polls without CT
coursging dishonesty in elections v
cannot tranple the law under our fe
and commit acts Of lawlessness again
the blacks without bringing our syste
OF laws into contempt, without cncou
aging the spirit OF anarchy among t
whites. We cannot withhold from Il
black man the means of education wit
out inJurpg the cause of education.
short, we cannot do evil toward the bla
man, and expect thereby to accompli
good for the white man. wilful wro
is u boomerang
But some will say that to educate t
blacks and TO aid them in Improving tn
moral and mental and material conditl
will. simply work evil TO the black ra
for there is no position in the South
educated negroes. We shall not under,a
10 argue that proposition just here, |
wa Say In general terms, that man /
nothing to do with results, 1t is for h
to do his duty as he sees it; TO deal iu
ly and honestly and nerclfully and rig
eougly with his fellow men, without
gard to race or color, and TO leave
results with God, we are not responsii
nor held responsible, for results. ne