The Birmingham age-herald., 1904-04-27

And as opportunity offers they are quiet ly leaving the sections in which they have long lived and labored.
 We need not close our eyes to the in evitable. We are soon to face industrial disaster unless conditions are radically changed. Our cotton lands will lie fal- low, and our fertile fields cease 10 yield their valuable staples. Already the scar city of labor is the despair of large land- owners.
 Duty of Patriots.
 ITO improve or remove these strained relations is the duty of every southern patriot who believes in the industrial and commercial future of these parallels.
 Unfortunately for this question. and for the best interests of both races, 1t has not been eliminated from local and na- tional politics. So long as 1t furnishes an easy and exciting issue for contend ing partisans. there will be little oppor- unity for constructive statesmanship to deal wisely with the stupendous problem.
 'It requires but little ability to excite the fears and inhame the prejudiees of a people. Any street urchin can shout 'Firer and stampede an audience, even when there is no danger. And If there be some occasion for alarm. the panic becomes wild and uncomfortable. Then 1t is men refuse calm counsel and wise suggestion. So it is with the social and political issues that may be used to play upon the fears of the masses.
 'The old cry that white supremacy may be imperilled is a travesty on Anglo Saxon chivalry. With every executive, judicial and legislative office of the state in the hands of white people, and with suffrage qualifications that have praetl- cally eliminated the negro from political affairs, the old slogan Is the emptiest cant.
 This is no question for small politi- clans. but for broad, patriotic statesmen. 1t is not for nonresident theorists, but for practical publicists not for academic sentimentalists, but for elear-visoned humanitarians. On @ subject of such vital concern to state and nation. pas sionate Reclamation and partisan denun- citation are to be deplored Oh, that some patriot may arise with the precedence of a statesman, and the vision of a prophet and the soul of an apostle who will point out the path of national duty and guide our people to a wise and heaven-approved solution of this mighty probleml
 But for some of the acute phases of this question the south can be acquitted of blame. The once beautiful and pathetic attachment of the older people of both races were rudely severed. not alone by the shock of war, but by the fanatical unwisdom of certain boasted benefactors.
 Mistakes Become Tragedies.
 Mistakes that have become q tragedy were made by some misguided persons who came south after the war to be the political teachers and leaders of the negroes. Representing themselves as the only friends of the recently emancipated race, they made denunciation of former SiaUpoWnard a n anOlOpu fn fbafI ence, and part of the negro's educa- ton. That policy only complicated the difficult problem. It poisoned the spirit of one race and aroused the fierce an- tagonism of the other. Hate was planted In hearts where the seed of love should have been sown, and races that ought to dwell together in unity, were separated by bitter hostility. The times of such folly are gone, but their tragic results are our mournful heritage:
 Tn the study of this momentious ques- ton some things may be considered as definitely and finally settled;
 l. In the south there will never be any social mingling of the races. Whether It pe. prejudice or priue or race, there Is a middle wall of partition which will not be broken down.
 "2. They will worship in separate churches and be educated in separate schools. This is alike desired by both races, and is for the good of each.
 8. The political power of this section will remain in present hands. Here, as elsewhere. intelligence and wealth will and should control the administration of governmental affairs.
 Here to Stay.
 A. The great body of the negroes are hero to stay. Their coerced colonization would be crime, and their deportation physical impossIbinty. And the white people are less anxious for them to go than they are to leave. They are natives and not intruders.
 Now let us consider some of the duties we owe these people. committed to us as trust:
 l. They must be guaranteed the equal protection O. the law. To do less would forfeit plighted faith and disrupt the very foundation of social order All the re- sources of government should be exhaust ed in protecting innocence and punish- ing guilt There should be no aristoeracy in crime. A white fiend is as much to be feared as a black brute The racial line has no place In courts of justices Offenders against the peace and dignity Of the state should have the same fair trial and the same just punishment, what ever their crime or color of skin.
 And the majesty of law must be en- LII pileu anu SuStdlueu. w nfn Us Sanc- tions are disregarded and it's mandates are not respected the very foundations of government become insecure. If conn- dence Is destroyed in the decisions of courts there is no protection for life and property. We have reason for real alarm at the phenominal growth of the spirit of lawlessness And 1t Is not confined to any one section of our great country. l give 1t as my deliberate judgment that there Is never an occasion when the resort to lynch law can be justified However dark and dreadful the crime punishment should be inflicted by due process of law. Every lyncher becomes a law-despiser and every law-despiser is a betrayer of his coun- try. The lynching spirit, unrestrained, in- creases in geometrical progression.
 But there are indications of better day. After our night of sorrow there is promise of more hopeful morning. Our best citizens are becoming alarmed and public sentiment is being aroused. A camp of Confederate Veterans in Mis- slssippi, composed of heroic men. who feared not the wild shock of battle in contending for what they believed to be right, recently passed. some vigorous res- olutions against this spirit of lawless- ness, in which occur these strong words:
 Mob violence Is antagonistie to lib- erty, and ultimately leads to anarchy, desolation and ruin. And in that ringing utterance they voice at once the deep conviction and profound humiliation of our best citizenship. We have a good peo- pie in our state, loving justice. hating wrong and despising unfalrness. They are ready to uphold the majesty of the law when demands are made upon them.
 Illogical and Unchristian.