The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-03-04
CITY NEWS.
RACE PROBLEM IS
LARGELY FICTION
THE OPINION OF EVANGELIST
STUART, "A SOUTHERNER.
He Says the Negro Is Contented and
Has Abundant Opportunity for
Progress Along All Iines--Misin-
formed Critics Magnify Serious AS
poets of the Situation.

George r. Stuart, the evangelist,
whose meetings are crowding Henne-
pin Avenue M. E. church and will be
removed next week to Wesley for the
sake of having more room, is a south
erner and the son of a former slave
owner. He has positive views on the
race question, but owing to the feeling
that 1T Is difficult to get an unbiased
hearing for a southern view of the
negro, he is rather averse to express
ing his views except with opportunity
for full explanation.
He gave talk on "The Southern
Negro in the South" Monday at the
asked to-day by a Journal reporter to
summarize his views he hesitated. Il
wouldn't mind talking to you if you
would use all L said and as I said it,
but l have learned from experience
that a few things picked out of a dis
cussion and given by themselves can
altogether misrepresent one without
being exactly untrue. Now, in a gem
eral talk I might easily say things that
would give an opportunity for such
treatment and that would stir up
warm time quite unfairly and don't
want to do that
.To begin with" said Mr.. Stuart
upon being treasured, II don't regard
the so-called race question in the light
of great menace to the country.
But. such as it is, the southern people
who have lived among the negroes
and know them and have known them
for half a century, are best qualified
to settle it. I regard the questions Of
anarchy, communism and socialism in
it's most rabid form much more serious
questions than can ever grow out of
the colored race question of the
south.
'"The negroes are being gradually
oH,coto6 and oniov The sauna nlIhIic
school privileges as Whites. There
are many good colleges for negroes.
Any colored boy or girl can secure
a first-class education on the same
terms as white boys and girls. All
professions and trades are open to
negroes among their own race.
Negroes Are Contented.
"And do you suppose that the
negroes are unhappy and stirring up
trouble? They are doing no such
thing--as a race-they're the happiest
and most contented people on earth.
They're a good deal better off than
you are, probably, because they work
when they feel like it and get along
comfortably and happily, while in
order to get what you want you
! probably have to work all the time
suit"
On this count the interviewer adj
mltted the superior position Of the
negro.
Continuing, Mr.. Stuart said: 'The
negro is the easiest sort of person to
manage on any question: Social
best negroes agree fully with the
white mans idea of an impossible
racial gulf and prefer that the line OF
distinction shall be sharply drawn.
Grass Critics Make Trouble.
"Now, if people who don't know
anything about the race question
would quit writing and talking abou
it, things would work themselves on
admirably for those who do under.
stand conditions are giving their bes
effort to Fighting the existing evils
There are deeds of violence in the
south, as no one would attempt t
T deny, but the best people of the south
are opposed to mobs just as to drunk
enness and other sins, yet these sin
exist notwithstanding that fact
Abiding to the instances Of mol
violence cited by Mr.. Washington II
his recent letter Of appeal to southern
would have been just as easy to nicl
out similar negro cases in the north
: or mob punishment of white men OF
even lynching of negroes by their owl
race, His explanation OF the sltuatlol
in regard to crime is that the negro
3 race has a heritage of low qualities tt
l overcome and that there are more ig
norant negroes than whites and tina
a ignorance is the mother of crime.
: "Conditions are such that more
i atrocious crimes are likely to com
e from the colored race and, therefore
r more severe dealing is likely to fol
low" Is Mr.. Stuart's conclusion in thi
t matter. The publication of account
= Of these, most aggravated cases ere
e ates an immense prejudice and will
S never give a proper idea Of the rae
o question
k Not even In mob vengeance did MI
S Stuart find evidence Of race hatred
n only of sympathy for the friends o
the victims Of atrocious crime. Oh
u the whole he believed that rae
prejudice is far less than has bee
J. made to appear. why, the negro l
O much better treated on the averag
h than the working girls and lower elias
of laboring people in the north, wer
his final words.