The leader., 1904-03-19

raco hatred. have no such feeling
for the negro. On the contrary, ]
wish the race well. should like to
see 1t develop along moral and In.
dustrial lines until 1t shall become
positive factor for good, rather than
menace to our Civilizations bless
Ing, rather than curse. The only
hope for the contamination Of that
wish Is for the State to take these
matters in hand, ignore the abuse and
criticism Of the ignorant time-servers
Of both the North and the South, and
give to the negro that which he needs
education Of his heart and his hands,
give him q possible moral basis to
build upon, and you will thereby help
cussing this question, very reliable
Wilcox, in recent paper said:
The negro and the injudicious
among his friends too often look on
education and religion as fetiches,
that is, something external, the pos
session of which guarantees the pos
SCISSOR charmed and happy life here
or hereafter. In distinction from
these, the most effective safeguard
against crime which parents can Of
fer their children is the desire and
ability to support ones self by legiti-
mate industry. A formal education is
subsidiary to this; it is important
mainly because it increases the ave-
nues through which self-support is
possible. II ever 1t serves to de-
crease the desire for self-support, it
is to that extent baneful II ever 1t
decreases the recognized avenues for
self-support by arousing the belief that
certain lines of legitimate industry are
degrading and therefore inadmissable,
it is to that extent baneful. This may
give standpoint from which to judge
the difficult question of negro educa-
ton. If the negro family on the aver
age Is far less effective than the white,
the education provided for the negro
children should aim frankly to supple.
ment the shortcomings of their fam
lily life and reduce their temptations
to crime by increasing their desire
and ability to live by legitimate in
dustry. Probably the best means by
which to reach and reinforce the fam
lily life of the negroes is shchool sys-
tenn which frankly sets this up as its
aim"
Now, gentlemen, the whole situa-
tion in the light of the physical facts
involved and the lessons of history,
presents stupendous problem to
solve, which will test the permanency
Of American civilization. Thomas
Jefferson, nearly one hundred years
ago, said: II am certain that the ne
groes will be free, and am equally
certain that they can never live on
the same soil on terms of social or
political equality with the whites"
Nothing truer was ever uttered, nn.
less it was the following from Abra-
ham Lincoln:
Il will say that am not nor ever
have been in favor of bringing about
in any way the social and political
equality Of the white and black races;
that am not nor ever have been in
favor of making voters or jurors Of
negroes. nor of qualifying them to hold
office nor to intermarry with the white
people; and l will say in addition
to this that there is physical diff
ference between the white and black
races which will forever forbid the
two races living together on terms
OF social and political equality. And
inasmuch as they cannot so live, while
they do remain together, there must
be the position of superior and in.
ferior; and I, as much as any other
man, am in favor of having the su-
perior position assigned to the white
race"
Let the ideas, the truths expressed
by Lincoln be embodied in all legis-
lation on the subject. The wise states
man will profit by the wisdom of ex-
perience and shun the rocks upon
which other governments have been
wrecked, but the fool, unmindful Of
the warnings of history, will go head
long to destruction The eyes of the
world are upon Mississippi today, be-
cause Mississippi is in the very heart
of this race problem. Let her states
men of today emulate and follow the
path blazed out by the late lamented
J. y. George. "The Great Commoner,"
the protagonist in the work of solv-
ing the race problem, in so far as a
State can. It calls for the broadest
philanthropy, wise and courageous
craftsmanship, that whatever may be
done, shall be done in the fear of God
and for the good of humanity.
JAS. X. VARDAMAN.