The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1904-09-16
THE SOUTH'S RACE PROBLEM.
An Open Letter From Ex-senator
John l.. MeLaurin.

Mr.. VIM. r. Luke, Nashville, Tenn;
Dear Sir-Yours of August 29th to
hand and contents noted. Your inquiry
is legitimate and one to which you have
right to expect reply.
The nomination Of DR.. Crum for col
lector of port at Charlesto!. was not re-
ferred to me by the president, nor do 1
recall that made any recommendation as
to filling this office.
My recollection is that the president
withdrew the appointment when he
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 almost unanimous objection
of the business interests of the city of
Charleston. The color question, how
ever, was squarely presented, and the
president found himself in the position
where to decline the appointment was
to admit that the color of the applicant
constituted All irsnptrable bar What a
striking illustration of the ease with
which every trivial matter is converted
into race question. The office of DR..
Crum dwindled into insigni6cance be-
side the other issues involved.
1t seems to me that before long cris-
O vii no ~,
and expedients which have served in the
past will he ineffective and this race
question will have to be met and settled
squaie!y on its merits. The sooner the
better each day only adds to the compli-
cations and dangers. Patience, courage
and self-control are the cardinal virtues
of 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 lynching
will occur, this to be followed, it seems.
by ''Beforeday clubs" indiscrimnate
slaughter, the overturning of courts and
military. Lynching does not lesson the
crime nor does the crime limit lynching.
The great underlying questions belong
to the realms of the spiritual, where
moral principles have their birthplace
and home. Ex-Gov. Chamberlain in a
very able paper says in effect that the
first step is for the negro leaders to be-
gin stern crusade against this crime
and stamp it out and that lynch law will
disappear; he 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 exam
Pile of how certainly every intelligent
and honorable northerner who takes bis
residence south changes his views and
becomes more extreme, if possible, than
those 10 the ''manner born"
| The danger is in just what I refer to
In the Crum case: no matter what hap
pens the issue is made one of race. A
division on race OF religion is the most
cruel, deadly and dangerous that can di-
vide men. The honest and high are
held responsible for the crimes Of the ig-
norant and degraded. An average citi-
zen speaking to me last week of the
tStatesboro affair, where an entire white
ttsmily were murdered without provOca-
ton and then burned by rBeforeday
lS4pbn said: IF one of my family were
81 ctim, 1 wouldn't care who, 1 would
f@tnply go out and kill uiggers." When
|shis sentiment is fully crystalizad in both
rfess you have all the material TO make
|tbe records of the Sepoy insurrection and
Indian warfare pale into insignifcance.
cannot believe that all of this fever OF
|race'hatred, suspicion and distru-t can
5e held ut the door of any single crime
it is too dep and widespread. nor can
think that the race question would be
settled if such crime were never again
committed The crime is An aggrava-
ton and only one of the dire effects of a