Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1904-03-19
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The South, indeed, after wears of
struggle, considered that the Question
which had confronted it aud largely
affected its policy for more than a third
al century was sufficiently settled for
the whites 20 divide once more on the
great economic questions on which hang
the welfare and progress of the people.
suddenly, however, there has been a re-
crudescence of the whole question, and
1t might appear TO those who blse their
opinion wholly on the public prints as
though nothing had been ACCOMPLISHED
towards Its deiuite settlement in the
last generation.
Only the other day. the President ex.
tended casual social invitation to the
most distinguished educator Of the color
ed race: one who is possibly esteemed at
the South the wisest and sanest man of
color III the country, and who has. per
haps. done more than any other to carry
out the ideas that the Southern we'll
wlshers of his race believe to be the
soundest and most promising of good
results. And the effect was so unex.
,pected and so far reaching that it
astonlsheo and perplexed the whole
country.
He referred to the Boston affair as
follows:
On the other hand, this educator
speaking In Boston to his race i'm a
reasonable manner on matters as TO
which he is hi4h authority, was in
suited by an element, the leaders of
which were not the ignorant members
OF his race, but rather the more en-.
hghtened, college bred men and editors
81 r1n rN1o 81
which he spoke. in which red pepper
and razors were used quite as if the
occasion had been a ''craps game" in a
Southern Negro settlement. The riot
was quelled by the police; but, had it
been IN small town, murder might !
easily have been done.
In view of these facts, it is apparent /
that the matter is more complicated than
appears at first thought, and must be
dealt with carefully.
1t will be seen that he takes the nm.
fortunate occurrence at Boston as show
ing the type and character of the
New Negro at the North with all of his
environments and eIevat-
ing education As matter of fact,
this very boisterous conduct manifests
itself upon the campus and adjacent
streets of well-nigh every collegiate
structure in the United States. NEW
HAVEN is at times veritable bedlam.
being in close proximity to Yale College
md Cambridge appears sometimes to be
he headquarters of the cowboys of the
Wild West, being i'm close proximity to
University.
But Mr.. PAGE overlooks all this He
wen forgets the unfortunate happening
1t the college in the neighborhood in
IF Farmville, Virginia, where some of
he sons of the best families in this
state were suspended for uugentlemanly.
'iotous and MISUNDERSTANDING con-
iuct
As we before stated Mr.. PAGE knows |
The old Negro, the new one is verita-
BILE stranger TO him.
He continued:
One great trouble is the different way
in which the body of the people at the
North and at the South regard this
problem. We have presented to us the
fact that two sections of the
same race, with the same manners and
customs, the same traits of character.
the same history and, until within &
time so recent that the divergence is
within the memory of living men,
the same historical relation to the Negro
race, should regard SO vital a question
from such opposite points; the one
esteeming the question to be merely as
to the legal equality of the races, and
the other passionately holding it TO be n
matter that goes to the very foundation
Of race-integrity. Whas adds to the
anomaly is the pregnant fact that the
future OF these two sections must here
after run on together; their interests
become ever more and more identified,
and If the one is right in holding that
its position lis founded ON racial in
stinct, the other, in opposing it, is fight
ing against a position which it must |
assume. Yet, their views
have up TO the present been so divergent.
they have, indeed, been so diametrically |
opposed to each other, that if one is |
right, the other must be radically |
wrong.
Another difficulty in the way of a |
sound solution of the problem is the |
blind bigotry of the doctrinaire which |
lnfects SO many worthy persons. An
gentleman from Boston, of |
quite national reputation, observed a
short time ago that it was singular that |
the Southerners who had lived all their
lives among the Negroes should under.
stand them so little, while they of the
North who knew them so slightly should
yet comprehend them so fully. 9e spoke
and this was without doubt
his sincere belief. This would be anus:
ing enough were it not productive of
such unhappy consequences. 1t re-
7 resents the convection of a oonsidera-
BILE element Because they have been
thrown at times with few we'll be-
haved, self.respecting Negroes, or have
had in their employ well-trained colore d
they think they know the
whole subject better than those who,
having lived all their life in touch with
its most vital problems, have come to
feel in every fiber of their being the |
deep significance of its manifestations. |
Such a spirit is the most depressing
augury that confronts those who sim |
serely wish TO settle the question on
sound principles.
He continued: