Iowa state bystander. [volume] (Des Moines, Iowa) 1894-1916, 1903-10-16
The )Upliftmlcllt of a Race

For more than 100 years shs was givcn
no chance for delicate reserve or modsstr.
From childhood shs was the victim Of
the grossest passion. Al lhs virtue Of her
sex were utterly ignored. Her home nfe
was Of the most degrading nature. She
became the mother Of children 0f both
her mate and master. Through some auc-
tion sale she VS. apt 70 Be- ssparated
from these ties and forced TO accept
Others. Even the children were not her
own. but her masters property. For her
there was no. sanctity Of marriage, nv
abhorrance II LEGITIMACY. NO endearing
affections OF home. These fundamental
principles which have their root In the
family have been no greatly lost to us
BY the curse OF slavery. Well may we
say The evil men do lives after them" :"
The white man Of the South. with the
deepest sentimental abhorrance Of amalsa-
nation and social equality. thinks that the
colored woman is to be perpetually the
Victim Of his Inst; today she IL followed,
tempted With his gold and insulted by the
Southern gentlemen who think "black men
have no rights which white men sioulA
regard and black women no virtue which
white men should respect"
DuI !tuc lnOEul COuultloun OF the NSSTU
is rapidly Improving. The noble phllanth-9
rophy Of the North has reached and Is
reaching this one Of the greatest needs
Of our people. In our schools and col-
leges, which they have established. the
freemen are receiving the highest moral
culture. g5 ss'5 ssf
The moral condition Of amy race can be
measured only by the moral status OF its
women. The hope then OF the Negro Is
In Its woulanhood. We can only rise as
SIZE Is nplifted. Our girls are receiving
classical, Industrial and Chrlstian training
in these institutions and these sacred In
huences are encompassng q million hearth-
stones. and the hnmblest huts are being
transformed into homes OF Christian re.
flnement and domestic elegance.
One Of the noteworthy features Of Knox
Vile college, and ! suppose the same is
true of all the schools established for the
'freenen. IS, what might be termed. the
inner or home life Of the school. AL
about the place. in every department,
Is something suggestive OF an ideal home.
The humblest student Is almost welcomed:
no one in real need II ever turned away.
The students feel that they can take their
burdens. cares and needs to their teachers
and know that they have their sympathy
and will receive the best advice and as
sistnnce they can give. No one can es-
tablish the paths that hare been straight
ened, the burdens that have been hghten-
cd, the lives that have been purified and
beautified, the souls that have been saved.
The aim,is to teach them how to live In
the highest and best way. The principles
of cultnred, Christian life are taught BY
cultured Christian men and women and NO
man can measure the GOOD they do. 81 Ia
The colored people are under an everlast-3
Ing debt OF gratitude to the good people
Of the North, who are doing so much to
raise them to the heights Of intelligence
and christianity.
Notwithstanding the hinderances Of
prejudice, the denial Of civil rights and
other discouragenents. the thoughtful
Negro is hopeful. He knows that the
laws Of this land are Intended to give him
an equal part in the Industrial, political.
social and civil advantages of the country;
he knows that those who would close the
doors Of opportunity III his face are not
the representative people Of this country;
he knows that 'All men are created equal;
that they are endowed by their Creator
with certain unalenable rights" and when
these are denied him his country is dis
honored and Its ideals can never be real
lied until the Negroes are no more the
Freedmen but, in every sense, the
FREE MEN.