Richmond planet., 1904-10-15
yardamanism in Mississippi.
[springfeld, Mass, (white) Republican.

[Springfield, Mass, ,(white) Republican.
The letters from Mississippi which we
pub1sh In another column describe the
advent of mob law in a new and worse
form even than lynching bees. being di,
reoted against the members of the Negro
race who are furnishing those lessons of
civilized industry and successful thrift
which the race needs to make them
valuable citizens. The banishment and
ruin of such men as Rev Mr.. Buchanan,
and the other lesser but worthy persons
who are victims of the same sort of
treatment, strikes at the most encour-
aging side of Negro progress, that
which was SO strikipgly represented in
the League of Negro business men at
indianapolis, recently. In so far as it
shows concerted attempt to crush the
Negro into a new and hopeless servi
tude, 1t Is the working of the Vardaman
venom, for such action is precisely
what he suggested. The educated. the
progressive, the prosperous Negro, must
be made TO know his place-and that is
TO don his overalls and take TO manual
labor. Such policy of repression,
backed by force in its cruelest form,
cannot prevail IN the long run. 1t is
bound TO beget reprisals of the worst
sort, to work infinite harm for black and
white alike. and is the embodiment of
short-slghted folly, politically, socially
al d industrially. Mississippi thus pre-
sents white intolerance at its most des-
perately depressing stage. How far is
1T to become the rule of the South?
4
At the late national convention of
bankers, held in New York city, there
was present John Mitchell, Jr., president
OF the Mechanics Savings Bank of
Richmond, Va, and also editor of the
Richmond PLANET. Mr.. Mitchell is not
the only Negro banker, but he is no
doubt the most prominent one, and he
was The first delegate TO that conven-
tion. AT one of the sessions of the CON
vension young banker from Georgia
made-a speech In which he expressed
the opinion, held by TIllman as well as
Nardaman, that "he was opposed 70 all
forms of Ne gro equality, eit., ~.-sai
itc,.a4 less. o. ,oiitics..l, and that If the Ne
gro would keep his place, all race troub
lie would be obviated." Mr.. Mitchell
made an answer TO this, and it wa
agreed that IL was an eloquent vindica
ton OF the Negroes rights He said
u have found that there is no color lin,
IN business. The Negro at the South il
respected in proportion as he increases
1
taxes, and SO on. He gave them som,
figures about the Negroes prosperity
And at the end he received great APP
plause, in which the southern banker
were not backward.
But 1T appears that at the time wher
Mr.. Mitchell was speaking Rev MIR
Buchanan, and all his family and hi
helpers, were fugitives from n mob eli
vlous of his very moderate success, anC
holding the black flag against any mis-
guided Negroes that might have done O
intend TO do likewise. AS a distinguish
ed friend of the Negro writes: ''Thi
condition of affairs is so terrible that
have thought that you would care &
bring 1T TO the attention of your read
ers," That it will command nationa
attention is certain. The South asks 4
have the Negro problem left for it e
| settle, but there will be limits set &
the Vardaman and Tillman policies. /
cannot be otherwise within the domain
of civilized nation. Mr.. MITCHELL
optimism is very much needed and we be
lieve as we'll that it is bound TO be justified
The Southern people cannot follow th,
example of the Mississippi mobs, for i
is suicidal policy,