The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1903-04-03
} A Plea for the Negro (
m 9 Times Dlspatoh;s

Editor OF 5Ihe &IlmeS- Olspi WI 'f8s
@ sir,-Through courtesy OF n friend, The
Times Dispatch has for several days
found its welcome way into my home,
ana proves source OF much interest,
regret, however, that I cannot more
fully concur in the sentiment repeatedly
expressed relative to the race question:
Napoleon, Il who was q philosopner anu anu
sta tesmar, as we'll as soldier, said on an
occasion, " Ono hostile neWspap per can 40
moro harm to a cause than thousand
bayonots,' It Is evident to every un-..
prejudiced reader that the newspapers,
es pccIallyI OF the South, are hostileSto the
negro, Whether justly or njustly 80 !. I
will not now venture m oplnlon,$p utl y
seems never tho less fact II the negro
constitute the major part o. the perpiIe *
md entirely the cause OF the existence Of
such a question, and In consequence al
of the Z newspapers ~ concentrate their
Z forces and make a defensive" charge.
there would be a moro destructive host
after the negro to-day than was after
8"Grant' In 1S65. n gi fs3 a5
# am thoroughly convinced !. that inc
willy, pref dicing rant that blghts tho
columns OF many a q news paper I'M the
South, both white and colored. does more
harm BY a5thousand fold than good. It
ought to be, moro than ever before, tho
sacred otIlco OF the press to&mark VIII.
equity tho limo OF right between man
and man, !nclining neither to the one nor
to the other That nper which fnlls 70
do this must be friendly to the one and
hostile to tho other and capable OF doing
,'him moro harm than a thousand bayo-{
nets" gs
\ Tho negro Is hero with us, and whether
: no remains Is for us to say; but so long
MS VIC forbear to order that ne shall not
remain, 1T Is our inevitable duty 20 re-
gard him with all possible consderat lon
and comfy, for through this better than.
through any other way do We establish
our superiority II the negro is boast
full and ignorant lot JUS pity and edu-
cato him; II HIS habits arc deprayed and
immoral, let Aus unity our efforts to ele-
vate him II HIS !ncllnations are shift.
loss, vagrant and mercenary. let US put
ourselves In so friendly an attitude to-
wards him as to Induce him to copy W
In domestic economy, aggressive sta b!l
ity and political ACKNOWLEDGEMENT we 90
ourselves and our posterlty q most serl-
GUS injustice when45we by comment OF
by construction throw barriers IN the
way to check the negro s. PROGRESS or TO
curb his aspirntions. However rapid
may be his progress, however obstinate
may BIO HIS aggression, we are less ina y
towards IL Wo aH ~ race entertain. The
rcmotest fear OF them as q race, Inere
was q Time When. mao we tp'e'aseu
some apprehension, It might have been
grounded; tho time when negroes, igno-
rant, but ambitious. asplred 70 every
office within tho gift Of the people. from
that Of magistrate to that OF the United
states Senate and In many cases per-
formed tho function OF tho offices WIN
out leaving upon their record single
STAIN saving such perhaps as might hays
been Justly presumed 10 originate IN
ignoranoe, the timo when the States were
suffering from poverty that followed In
the walks OF war. when tho North ooeu-
plsd an unfrlendly position towards the
South and boasted In tho pomp OF Its
power, and MS coadjutors the negroes
were graphing for the reins Of Southern
government, but that time has long since
passed ana with It passed the negro's
political aspirations to the extent that
In many locality where they might
have chosen from among themselves men
who would have filled offices with toler-
able credit, they have delighted TO sup-
port white man for no other reason than
That white men were more competent,.
1t, seemed plausible to hope that such
a course would not only secure 70 the
governments, both State and NATIONAL,
nen of superior tttness but would also