The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1904-09-21
THE RACE PROBLEM.
An Open Letter from Ex-senator John
L. McLauren.
IN WHICH BE DISCUSSES IT.
Attributes Most, if Not All, Our
Troubles to Giving the Bal
lot to the Negro Too

Soon.
Mr.. VIM. r. Luke, Nashville, Tenn:
Dear Sir-Yours Of August 29th to
hand and contents noted. Your in
quiry is legitimate and one to which
you have right to expect reply.
The nomination Of DR.. Crum for
collector of port at Charleston was not
referred to me by the president, nor
do recall that I made any recon- men
dation as to filing this office.
My recollection is that the preSl-
dent withdrew the appointment when
be found there was opposition. and,
as the matter at that time was purely
local in its character, am satisfied
that had the contest been limited to
the fitness, ETC., of the applicant DR..
Crum would not have received the
appointment, in the face OF the al
most unanimous objection Of the busi-
ness interests Of the city OF Charles
ton. The color question, however,
was squarely presented, and the
president found himself in the position
where to decline the appointment was
to admit that the color OF the appli-
can't constituted an inSuperable bar.
What striking illustration OF the
ease with which every trivial matter
is converted into race question.
The office Of DR.. Crum dWindled into
insignifcance beside the other isSuSe
involved.
It seems to ne that before long a
crisis will be reached where the SUBJ
terfuges and expedients which have
served in the past will be Ineffective
and this race question will have to be
met and settled SQuarely on its merits.
The sooner the better; each day only
adds to the complications and
dangers. Patience, courage and self
control are the cardinal virtues OF a
Christian civilization, and when these
are cast aside the social structure
itself will fall. Yet we all know that
so long as one crime is committed
Iynching will occur, this to be follow
ed, it seems, by "Beforedag clubs"
indiscriminate slaughter, the over
turning of courts and military. Lynch
ing does not lessen the CRIME nor does
the crime limit lynching. The great
underlying questions belong to the
realm Of the Spiritual, where moral
principles have their birthplace and
home. E1-Gov. Chamberlain in a
very able paper says in effect that the
first step is for the negro leaders to
begins a stern crusade against this
crime and stamp it cut and that lynch
law will disappear; be may be right,
but there is a work for both RACES to
do and there must be some common
starting point and concerted action.
Gov. Chamberlain is striking ex-
ample Of how certainly every intelli-
gent and honorable northerner who
takes his residence south changes his
views and becomes more extreme, If
possible, than those to the manner
born.
The danger is in just what | refer
to in the Crum case; no matter what
happens the is ue is made one OF race.
a division on race or religion is the
most cruel, deadly and dangerous
that can divide men. The honest and
high are held responsible for the
crimes Of the ignorant and degraded.
An average citizen speaking to me
last week OF the Statesooro affair,
where an entire white family were
murdered without provocation and
then burned by d "Beforeday club"
said; "If one of my family were a
victim, wouldn't care who, 1. would
simply 90 out and kill piggers. "
When this sentiment is fully crystal
lied in both races you have all the
material to make the records OF the
SepoY insurIection and Indian warfare
pale into insignifcance. cannot be-
lieve that all Of this fever Of race
hatred, suspicion and diStrust can be
laid at the door Of any single crime,
it is too deep and widespread, nor can
I think that the race question would
be settled if such crime were never
again committed. The crime is an
aggravation and only one Of the dire
effects of a third Of a century's false
doctrines and teaching. These dis
orders are the symptoms, not the
disease, just as the flushed cheek and
quickened pulse oaly point to the in
ward fever that is consuming the pa
tient. The Ioots Of the disease lie
amid the passions and erro;s OF the
Reconstruction period when full
citizenship was suddenly thrust upon
a race Of slaves totally unprepared FOL
such great moral and political re-
sponsibility. We are only gathering
the second harvest from the seed ther
sown. The first harvest was IN thai
sad day when the south to maintain
it's civilization had to ignore and defy
the constitution Of the United States
We are still struggling with the near
by effects of our Civil war and the
heavy turden put upon both races Is
beyond their strength, for new conSe
ouences are continually cropping u
IN national life.
I read with great interest a very
thoughtful article by q Mr.. Thona
of Ohio unfinished in The NOrGE