The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1903-09-08

presume, are holding indignation meetings
in the North. d~enouncing the methods OF
execution and heaping viCuperation upon
the heads of the eXecutionists. Don IN
derstand US to favor lynchLng nor to speak
in its favor: far from it. But we do
say. as you censUre the actors IN the
tragedy. YOU should censure in your in
dignation meetings the brute who caused
the tragedy. No: we don't believe IN
lynch law. neither do we believe IN com
hitting the crimes that render such an
u~nrighteous method OF punishment pos
sible. W. say, to obviate the effect, re-
move the cause. No disease IS durable
until the cause is removed. AS stated
above. as well as censuring the people
for illegal action, censure the brute who
allows himself to be the perpetrator OF
such hateful crimes, and publish to the
world that you denounce crime and all
nefarious practices.
For the difficulties amove mentioned,
the negroes are advised by their Northern
brethren to leave the South. Lynching
is now about as general In the North as
in the South. We think giving the ne
groes of the South such advice Is wholly
detrimental to their general progress.
Surely if the negro has not attained TO
that position of social refinement, culture
and high standing which render him in
capable of making assaults upon helpless
and inoffensive girls and women, he would
not be welcome concomitant to the people
of the North. 4 change from one State
to another does not prepare tor citizen
ships and his condition remaining the same,
surely he would not forget his crimes. He
would still be ignorant OF personal self
respect and would be found acting in the
North just as he did III the South. The
thing to be lone with the negro before
he can properly succeed anywhere Is to
change his condition, so that he may have
proper ideas OF life. and of what it takes
to constitute a man and what life really
is. And when these conditions are brought
about the negro will be a very acceptable
adjunct to society right here in the
South.
There may be many really hostile to
the negro, but they do not compose the
rank and file of the better class of white
citizens, and as long as the negro can
Justly satisfy the best elements of the
whites he is safe. We think the negroes
of the South are capable of thinking for
themselves and are better able to adjust
all things for their satisfaction so as to
give justice to themselves and the white
people without the interference of our
Northern brethren"
The leaders Of the negro race who preach
such doctrine to their people will be their
best and truest friends, and will build un
the race in ways of industry and useful
ness. The negro is treated better in the
South than anywhere else. He can get
a home easier IN the South than anywhere
else. He has better opportunities here to
develop the best that is in him than he
has anywhere else. Race prejudice IS
found everywhere, but in Raleigh and in
all North Carolina, the negro who is in
dustrious and trying to improve his con
dltion knows that his best friends are his
white neighbors. His worst enemies are
men who counsel him to make demands
that are unreasonable and incite him to
make claims that conditions do not iusti-
fy. The Smithfield teacher has given
| good advice-the sort Of advice that the
so-called leaders, who are much in the
public eye, as we'll as the rank and file
of the race, stand in sore need of receiving
and improving.