The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1903-02-10
ON THE NEGRO BY A NORTH
ERNER AMONG US


Erucker, published at Chadbourn, y.
q. AS the editor says of himself in that
article, he is a republican,; he moved
- this section from the north ABOUT
Eve years ago. When he came south ne
drought with him, as all such north
srners do a lot OF prejudice and ie-
norance regarding the character and
of the negroes; n as all
Of them do. he soon found that he
knew nothing about the negro and
chat his theories as to solution OF the
race problem were all wrong. The
northern men W h come south, no mat
ter how strongly republican in prln-
SdpIe. soon align themselves with the
white people on this question. To I'M
lerstand the conditions in the south it
il necessary to study them at close
range. The northern people are as ig-
norant of them as they are of what
Is going on in Central Siberia. This
admission is made by every fair-minded
man among them who comes south to
i've. The editor of The Trucker is one
of these. He admits his ignorance and
prejudice before coming south, and Is
candid enough to say all his opinions
were wrong. He goes further than
most of his class in admitting change
Of views. He now understands the sit
uation thoroughly and utters a solemn
truth when he says that as long as the
negro Is in politics in the south this
section will suffer.
The Truckers editorial should be
copied by newspapers all over the
north; should be read by those who are
having so much to say about the down.
trodden negro and who, IN paper, can
so easily solve the race problem for us
of the southern states. 1t would aston
ish some of them. The Trucker says:
I'VE are running an independent pa
per as far as politics and religion goes
but there are times We cannot
hold ourselves, and his is one of them.
We are Gas most of you already know
republican at heart and sha always
be. but at the same time we cannot
swallow everything the republicans do
and we are not going to try, either.
There has been enough. and more,
aaid in the press of the south about
the recent actions of our president In
appointing Crum to the I~ollectorshlp
at Charleston and inviting the negro
to the reception at the White house.
The majority of the northern people
will say that the southern press was
prejudiced against the negro and con-
demned them under all circumstances.
w came to the south about five
years agO. Then, we were Of the pin-
ion that the negro was the poor, down
trodden people that n hears about all
over the north, but we were not here
six months before we could see plainly
rho the prosecuted were. 7 g, the Leo
pie who have to live near them. The
north cries out for the protection of the
colored race and makes much sdo
about the way the negro IS treated in
the south: but after all. the best
friends that the negro has are the peo-
pie that have known him. and are aC-
euainted with his peculiarities. The
more religious a negro the closer that
negro must be watched.
eff the people of the north who are
interested in the welfare OF the negro
will come south and study the existing
conditions instead OF writing SO murh
the negro would be much better off;
there is as much difference between
the negro OF the north and the negro
-sf the south as there is between dark
ness and daylight. There are settle
ments OF negroes in the north that are
good. upright citizens and BEHAVE az
they should and they hold the respect
af the white race.
The people of the south have Seen
caught to look upon the negro as n
Save. and to- have him placed on an
equal or V higher position is 4 hard
proposition.
"In our opinion the appointment of
n---- e - 1890. =; - -,g-
take. Give him an inc and he viii
tax 4 mile. See how they have risen
up and demanded office since the mel
LEI of the presidents firing an Office
holder for trying to form p White We
publican party in the south. when he
should AVE had 4 gold medal. for as
long as there is a negro in politics in
the south just SO long will the best
white men be kept out OF politics.
W heartily commend the good
work Senator Pritchard has given to-
ward this end and by the combined eff
forts OF the masses in a few years you
will find two good. strong parties in
the south So long as those in Office
persist in appointing negroes to office
I'm the south, and inviting them to
places where they are sure to meet the
best people. knowing the existing feel
fng. just so long are they committing
one Of the greatest crimes of modern
times.
How much more pleasant il would
have been to have had a white mar as
collector at Charleston, and left the
colOred people out of the affair al
Washington; no one would have been
hurt and all would have passed off
pleasantly while under the existing
circumstances L Will take years to
Grace it from the memory of the south.
See what they will do the moment they
are recognized. Hear the speeches they
make. See the bOldneSS with which
thy come out and demand recognition.
They think they nave the north at
their backs. Come south and study
their characteristics and we will hear
no more about the lin Crow car OF
the Acknowledgement acts.
at VAS a crime to the south when
the negro was given the power to vote
and - long as he IS considered on an
equal nth tn White man the crime
grow more L more beinous."
On the subject Of the intention OF