The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1903-02-13
SOUTHERN NEGRO SAYS
SHOULD BE DISFRANCHISED.

Rev. Williams NJ: Mitchell, a colored
Presbyterian preacher Of >
C.. a few DAYS ago delivered an ah-
dress in DR.. Parkhursts church in
York. He made the
lnent that The Acknowledgement OF
the negro was a good thing for the
race" His description OF conditions IN
rbe '.black belt" are terrible-a worse
.,a very than ever existed before the
war between the states, a slavery Oh
immortality. intemperance n lsnor-
lance among the black inhabitants IN
whose behalf efforts are being made
10 establish equal political and social
rights with the enlightened and re-
lined white people of the country .
We wonder what Mr.. Roosevelt VIII
think when he reads what this crl-
Iored minister has to say ABOUT the
unftness for citizenship OF his own
race. Will he and his newly CHOSEN
nouthpiece still contend that the OPP
position Of the white people of TIE
south to negro voters and negro oflce-
lholers is a new thing? They know
that social and political equality mas
never existed at the south ana tfiat
it can never exist. and they kno"
that if should not exist. There mas
lbeen a change about this matter. cut
the change has been with Preslceht
lRoosevelt anu not with the white Deo-
Iple of the south. The change with
him has not been a genuine one either.
but only a p%retense for political uf-
POSES. Some people Of the south con-
tend hat Mr.. Roosevelt does not IN
Iderstand VIII the white people of the
Isouth discriminate against the negro
i'm the matter of holding office or meet
ling them on the same social plane. we
do not believe this. He UNDERSTANDS
liz thoroughly. He has seen nouga OF
the south and is thoroughly informed
from study and personal observation
of the conditions here and he iva:
lbrains enough to know what the dire
IfuI results of social equality would be
1T is not through that ignorance an'
prejudice which moulds the opinion:
of the narrow-minded, h.de-bound New
Englander that he holds these views
out ecaus it suits his present pollt
ical purposes. We do not believe MI
Roosevelt enjoys having a nlgro ma
TO dine at his table or having ne-r
men and women attending reception
Iuresided over by his wife and daugn
Ter but through heartlessness an
= ambition he subjects himself and tasr
- - That he &c m
bilious no one will deny. That h&
Iheartless the fact that he plunged INT
" the forests on a hunting expedition
= far beyond mail, telegraph or 1al
- way communication when Presid I
mckinley lay on his death-bed W.
=, fully shown.
T. From the New York Daily New
:, we take the following report of TN
- remarkable address of the Rev wi
:, liam H. MITCHELL:
= THE Acknowledgement Of the Z
gro is a good thing for the race. l
( needs to be rubbed up and spurred
lie ior he will sit down on your hands al
I'd let you people of the north suppo
n him." Such is the view or the he
-. William H. Mitchell. u coIored Pre-
10 tbyterian clergyman from
&c lC.. who spoke in Or. Parkhurst
ga Church in Madison Square, New 1or
In the Black Belt the ignoran
Go of the people is almost beyond belle
g The negro preacher found there IS
L.; ~Itravesty and a disgrace. Ee is II
w of perspiration, but has no insDn
Ition.
10 The greatest need of the sout
ne $50 far as the colored race IS conc"r
=, -a4+ho-c Tho iOnn,l
r. women give away their children W;
= as little feeling as you would E:
III away a dog. There are families
II. which there are eight or nine childrt
Nv with half a dozen fathers.
In my opinion, nothing can be dc
to change the old men and Womt
Their minds are hardened, and tn
J. habits are fixed. The regeneration
the race lies in the education OF
children. Save them and you W
IN save the race. l do not believe
az teaching the young men Latin a
- lGreek. What they need is INSTRUCT
of in the raising Of crops, and in su
IA trades as will enable them to becol
20 self-supporting.
e. There Is today in the south d VOL
,is slavery han ever existed before I
war. 1t is the slavery of immortal
ha and i~ntoxication. Some people say
ne negro is lazy. 1 myself think he
~ something of a philosopher, for he v
generally give the man who hires n
&C. whatever is due in the way of serv
~ for the pay he receives
aT The chain gangs to which you
ltS io. ~ $50 ue,rs ONO sources
I'D -, -. NJ na.ro avar hacoras
member of a chain gang who was
pro a worse man when he left it than WI
lty he Joined it. What is needed is a
ich