The Billings gazette. [volume] (Billings, Mont.) 1896-1919, 1904-12-06
RACE PREJUDICE.

the newspapers of the north, and the
people as well-for the one is popu
larly supposed to be only a reflection
of the opinion of the other-to cease
talking about the race prejudice of the
south. Things in this respect up
ter than they below the Mason and
Dixon line. The colored man appears
to be no more welcome here than he
is in the south, particularly when he
seeks to improve his condition in a
way that promises to bring him in
competition with his white brother.
The labor unionist does not want him
in his ranks, as has been shown on
many occasions, and seeks to efface
him when he attempts to work at a
trade or craft independently claiming
jurisdiction over his particular field
of his endeavor.
When he sets himself up as an agri-
culturalist he is not interfered with.
so long as he does so in isolated in
stances, but when he attempts to do
it as a member of a considerable col
ony of his race the prejudice thought
to find place only in the south arises
and he is told he is not wanted. Re-
Gently the newspapers have contained
account of the trouble that has arisen
in a certain part of Minnesota be-
cause of the attempt of Booker T.
Washington to carry out a part Of his
plan for the practical advancement OF
his race. Through agents he has been
securing options on the greater part
of the lands contained in a township
with the intention of colonizing it
with negroes. AS soon as they heard
OF it the white settlers of the county
began to protest and nave given it out
that if need be they will resort to
force to keep away the proposed colo
nists, saying they will not permit the
settlement of a large number of COL
ored people there.
i, Minnesota is a northern state and
during the civil war it's people gave
magnificent testimony of their loyalty
and their belief of the black mans
right to claim kinship with humanity
in that they fought to free him from
bondage, but in spite of this they
show themselves to be no more free
from common prejudice than the men
OF the states who fought that slavery
might continue to be an institution.
Some newspapers commenting upon
this latest exhibition of racial enmity
assume to make light of it and flip
PANTY advise Washington to go
among the men of the New England
states and buy land there for his colo.
nists, saying they would undoubtedly
be received with open arms. The
matter is one too serious to be dis.
cussed in a light or facetious vein. It
is a subject that will not be disposed
of in that n The colored man
is recognized as a citizen and as such
is supposed to have certain inalien-
able rights and privileges. Among
them is the right to make his living
in an honorable, honest and lawful
manner, and in this he should be pro-
tected. He is here, not through his
own choosing or because of any act
VI LIS duCeSLoIS, DuC IuIOuSu Lue
workings of fate, destiny, or whatever
you may choose to call it. A fierce
and bloody war was fought that he
might be free, but now that he has
been freed it seems that those who
fought for his freedom are no more
kindly inclined toward him than those
who erstwhile held him in slavery.
Mr.. Mitchell's indignation may be
righteous, but the fact that he seems
to have deliberately ignored the re-
quest of the prosecuting attorney to
give him the name of the prominent