The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1904-04-10
WILL "TiAcH THEM CIVILIZATIONS

WILL "TEAcH THEM CIVILIZATION
The Maxton Blade is the name OF pa
per published by negroes in Eobeson
county. 1t contains two articles in ITS last
issue that contrast the difference between
the two kinds of negro leaders in the State
the one a letter from Prof. ID. +. Allen,
a negro school teacher, who reviews the
kindly relations subsisting between the
white people and the negroes, telling OF
letters from his old master and mis-
tress and from their children, who con-
time To preserve their friendly interest
From Prof. Aliens letter this extract Is
taken:
1T is thought strange by many OF US,
that one should have these feelings ol
nearness and that the hearts OF the TWO
races should so cling to one another; put
we feel that these are the only proper re-
lations. We often have fearful torebod'
ings Of the DAYS to come when all OF these
feelings shall have died. Did any one
ever hear of a master helping TO lynch
his old slave? Did any one ever near OF
slave outraging his young mistress ::
They were much nearer together imam
now. The relations Of master and Save
have been the staying power which 1or a
third of century has kept the colored
and white people in friendship; and We
shudder as we think of the time to come
when these friendly relations shall cease
for lack of those who know OF these rela-
tions.
..Then it should be the effort of each
race, and especially the coIored because
he is the under dog to keep alive these
feelings We contend that the negro PROB
lem will soon be solved. if we can keep
up these friendly relations. Does any o.
the younger colored folks doubt that the
older white people desire to see them pros
per? If so, let us assure them That theJ
were never more mistaken.
The above extract gives expression to
the sentiment among the best class OF col
ored men in the South, and we rejoice to
copy such expressions.
In the same paper, however, as the Lead
ing editorial from another and a very dill
ferent sort of negro, incendlary and rev
olutionary advice is given to negroes. we
quote it In full:
.'The subject "Lynching' has been dis
cusscd SO much until it seems to not nave
any effect upon the country at large
When we think we have time to draw a
good long easy breath, another lynchinS
trolic occurs to interrupt our serene
thoughts Now with all fairness and
good will toward all men. we feel that
aot hac m
nut forth any great effort, as the land OF
the free and equal justice to all men, to
crush out barbarism in the form OF lynch
law; that the negro race. as whole,
should Immediately come to the concu-
sion that we must protect ourselves from
mob violence If members of our race
continue 10 be strung up and their bodies
riddled with bullets or cremated tor any
unfounded charge, then it is tine for us
to rise up as a body and resist such bar
barism. If the perpetrators of these crimes
are not civilized, then We must teach
them civilization with the same that they
hope 20 hand out 20 the poor black prs
oner."
That kind of advice proceeds from
vicious ana wicked mind, endangers the
life of any negroes who would follow 1t,
and threatens bloodshed and revolution.
No negro has ever been lynched IN the
South upon ''unfounded charges.
This paper deprecates lynchirg, but 1t
also deprccates the crime for which lynch
ing is invoked. The business of sensible
negro newspapers is to do all they can to
stop he base crimes that first brought
lyncning in the South. If they can do
that. there will he no need OF talking
about lynehing.
In any event there is no excuse Tor the
vicious, inf1ammatory and incendiary adj
vice published in the Maxton Blade, and
in printing such advice the editor is
showing his unfitness to lead his race.
Such offensive utterances as he employs
are calculated TO iniure the negroes. The
suggestion that the defenders and apollo
gists of attacks upon white women can
teach white men civilization is born of
malice and ignorance. The white men
of the South will protect honest and good
negroes, but they will tolerate neither
rap;sts nor their defenders o. Apologies.