The Van Buren press., 1904-04-02
BISHOP BROWN.
Tells how his Views on Negro Problem
Aroused Criticism In New
England.

From the Little Rock Gazette
Bishop Brown returned Wednes
day from an extended trip through
the North aud East A Gazett,
reporter called at the Episcopa
residence, and in response To hil
questions the bishop Informed hin
{ that, in accordance with his anuu
al custom, he had spent the frs
live weeks of the Lenten season
making appeals for funds witt
which TO assist in carrying on d
somewhat extensive church eX
tension work upon which he en-
( tered four years ago. He is build
ing five churches aud two reCtOrieS
and placing two new clergymcm II
the field each year. About one
third of the funds required for
his building operations and the
support of his increasing mission.
AIRY staff is secured from outside
of his diocese.
1t was aScertained that the bish
op had visited for the purpose
of making his appeals, among
other places, Washington, Phila'
! delphia, New York aud Boston.
After considerable pleasant
conversation of general charac.
ter the reporter finally ventured
to suggest to the bishop that this
recent visit of his to the East had
some features of exceptional inter
est to the public, and asked
whether he had anything to say
about the storm of criticism which
some of his utteranCes upon THE
American Negro Problem had
raised.
SWELL" said the bishop, "you
will be disappointed ityou expect
me 10 say much on that touchy
subject at tins time. The storm
of which you speak is subSiding
and | am afraid that if | go into
the matter with you | will set the
winds to whisting about my head
again aud so djsappolnt my hope
for a season of calm during which
| can give my undivided attention
to an accumulation Of much i'm.
pOrtant work.
"HOwever, | will explain that
the storm is accounted for by the
fact that a combination of clrcum-
stances made it necessary for me
TO give my views at the North and
East, especially in Boston, on the
great race problem; that they are
somewhat pesS'mistic and that
what we've intended as private
utterances became public. This
unfortunate publicity came about
in the following way: | invited
all the Episcopal clergy of Boston
and vicinity toa private hearing
and asked them to bring any of
their respective laymen with them
who happened to be especially
interested in the problem with
which | was to deal. Among
others | sent such an invitation to
the Rev. Mr.. Field, one Of the
ICowley Fathers, an English mon.
astic order. Father Field has
charge Of n large colored congre.
CATION and ia doing y great and
good work among the negroes of
Boston, Unfortunately | did not
know of this interesting fact, and
so sent him the same invitation as
to the other clergy He read it to
his people, who came in gOOdly
numbers, some ~ reporters, some
as orators, and others as demon.
strative listeners. Their presence
famed into a flame that which
otherwise, at the worst, would
have been only smOuldering fire.
AS the New England news.
papers had criticised severely my
Cleveland interview, Of which the
public has heard a good deal, !
was naturally DESTROYS Of having
the editors OF the chief Boston
papers present accordingly also
sent them u personal invitation,
The truth Of the adage, misfortune
never comes sng,y' is illustrated
in the case Of my Boston expert.
ence, for very few, il any, Of the
editors came themselves, and all
Of them sent reporters. Some
sent competent men, who gave
my words or their substance quite
accurately and fairly, ~ | hope
will be the case with YOU in this
interview, Bat others did not
deal so kindly with me, and their
representations made me ont much
more OF n peSSlmst regarding the
negro than | really am, Their
! reports did me great harm,
"lhe uttrmuccs which raised
the storm were in the form OF u
carefully prepared written lecture,
the delivery of which required an
hour aud u half, In sadness of
heart | spoke what | believed TO
he the truth, with good viii to.
wurd all aud malice toward none.
The great majority Of the people
Of the South feel very much M |
do about these things and u very
respectable majority Of the North
u,Fp.n anita tIllt uItth a.