Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1903-04-18
c,avsjand on the Negro.

Cleveland on the Negro.
Although never entirely lost In the
BACKGROUND since his first appearance
az a leading statesman, ex-Presiden'
cleveland is now again more promn-
nently before the nation than for sew
eral wears past. The cause OF this
special prominence is great speech
that he delivered in New York last
Tuesday night on the Negro question:
The occasion of the speech was a
monster meeting in Madison Square
Garden concert hall, in the interest OF
Tuskegee Normal and Industrial lnstl-
tute-Booker Washington's famous
Negro school. Mr.. Cleveland presided
over the meeting and delivered the
speech Of the evening, and for tha'
matter the speech Of the day, on the
Negro question.
The most striking feature of Mr.
cleveland's speech was his frank, open
testimony to the effect that the people
of the south not only understand this
question better than do the people OF
the north; but that they are doing theil
full duty honestly and along the most
correct and sensible lines. He SAID:
81 do not know how it may be with
other northern friends OF the Negro
but I have faith in the honor ana SIN
cerity of the respectable white people
of the south in their relations with tue
Negro and his Improvement ana wen
being. They do not believe IN the so-
cial equality ef the race and they MAKE ma
no false pretence in regard 10 II. na. ma
this does not grow out OF hatred oi .ne ae
Negro Is very plain. 1t seems 10 me
that tbere ia abundant sentiment and
abundant behavior among the southern
whites toward the Negro, to make us
doubt the Justice Of charging this de-
nial of social equality to prejudice, as
we usually understand the word. Fer
hans 1t is born of something so much
deeper and more imperious than pre-
iudice as to amount to raclal IN
stinct.
"Whatever it is, let us remember
that It has condoned the Negroes snare
In the humiliation and spoliatlon OF
the white man Of the south during tne
saturnalia of reconstruction days, ano
has allowed O. kindly feeling for the
Negro to survive the time when the
south was deluged by the perilous flood
Of indiscriminate, unintelligent ano
blighting. Negro suffrage. Whatever
it is, let us try to be tolerant and con-
siderate Of the feelings and even the
preiudice or racial instinct OF our
white fellow -countrymen Of the SOUTH
who in the solution Of the Negro pro-
blem must, amid their own surround
ings, bear the heat Of the day and stag
ger under the weight OF the Wnlte
mans burden.
There are. however, other consid-
erations related to this feature OF the
Negro question which may be regarded
as more in keeping with the objects
and purposes of this occasion. AS
friends Of the Negro, fully believing In
the possibility Of his improvement and
advancement, sincerely and confidently
laboring to that end, 1t Is folly FOR us
to ignore the importance of the un.
grudging cooperation on the part OF
the white people OF the south IN this
work. Labor as we will, those who
do the lifting Of the weight must be
those who stand next to 1t. This CO.
operation cannot be forced; nor can 1t
be gained by gratuitously running
counter to firmly fixed and tenaciously
held southern ideas, or even pre]u-
dices.
1--WE are not brought to the point OF
doing or overlooking evil that good
may come when we proceed upon tne
theory that, before reaching the stage
where we may be directly and practi-
cally confronted with the question OF
the Negroes full enjoyment of civil ad.
vantages or even Of all his political
privileges, there are Immediately before
US and around us questions demand
Ing our immediate care, and that, IN
dealing effectively with these. we can
confidently rely upon the encourage
ment and assistance Of every thought
full and patriotic citizen Of the land
wherever he may live and whatever
may be his ideas or predictions con-
cerning the more remote phases OF the
Negro problem. These questions that
are so Immediately pressing have to
do with the practical education OF the
Negro, and especially with fitting him
to compete with his white neighbors
in gaining decent, respectable and
remunerative livelihood"
This deliverance will no doubt meet
with widespread approval in the south
and the truth Of what Mr.. Cleveland
says, will eventually be appreciated by
the people of the whole country, es-
pecially by those people who are really
seeking honest conclusions on this
question. At any rate, the ex-presi-
dent has done the south great SER
vice. His views and deliverances in
variably command the attention Of the
people Of the north, and his broad
liberal treatment Of this subject will
furnish abundant food fol- wholesome
thought.