The Lafayette advertiser. [volume] (Vermilionville [i.e. Lafayette], La.) 1865-19??, 1904-01-20

years, largely owing to his presence,
that the South has not passionately
subscribed to one of two or three great
political dOgmas or doctrines. We
are, as a consequence, the sturdiest
political metaphysicians of our race,
with a capacity for political solidarity
that is almost distressing. For sixty
years the South stood ready to die.
and did die, for the doctrine of state
sovereignty. To-day it would die
with even more amazing oneness of
mind for the doctrine of racial inte-
gritty or the separatenesS of the two
races This does not mean race
hatred. There is a certain amount of
rae hatred. of course, and there are
reasons for this, but the best Southern
people not only do not hate the negro,
but cOme nearer to having affection
for him than any other people on
earth, and they hold this faith in a
spirit of common sense and justice
and sympathy and helpfulness to the
black race. They are too wise not to
realize that pOsterity will judge them
according to the wisdom they use in
this great concern. They r too just
not to know that there is but one
thing to do with a human being, and
that thing is to give him a chance, and
that it is a solemn duty of the white
mar to see that the negro gets his
chance in everything save social
equality and political control. The
Southern people believe with their
usual intensity that it is the duty of
civilization always to protect the
higher groups against the deteriOrat-
ing influence of the lower groups.
This does not near that the lower
should be prevented from rising. but
that it should not be permitted to
break down the higher. The improve
ment and progress of the backward
nations and races should all come by
improving the condition of their W
group, but should be permitted
to come at the expense of the higher
more advanced group, nation or
Social equality or political
control would mean deterioration of
the advance group, and the
SOUTH IS SERVING THE NATION
when it says it shall not be SO. But,
l am not here to discuss this question.
Discussion of it has become a national
disease, and should be quarantined
against, for it is getting hysterical
and dangerous. The dOctrinaire and
writer thought they had
it thirty years ago. How fool
ish seems their talk to-day! My pres
cription is silence and slow time,'
faith in the South and wise training
of both white and black.
"The idea l wish to present, how
ever, is this: A people who hold to
high political doctrines, which do not
admit of compromise in their minds,
gain in a genius for intensity of con-
viction what they lose in liberalism.
They become idealists-possibly
martyrs to an idea. Great virtues,
like unsOrdidness, unselfishness,
patriotic devotion come to
dwell within them. They "a to fear
anything but denial of their doctrines.
You cannot brighten them with
poverty, oppression, ~obscurity or any
other terror. You cannot cajole or
deceive them. They become single
minded and se~lf-centered. 1t is plain
to me that by the very tragedy of its
history the South is the most idealis-
tic section in America to-day. New
England vas forty years ago. Indus
trialism has diminished idealism
there, though not moral persistence
or'love of order. The South to-day
wants wealth and CO and power,
and is hot-footed on the trail of it,
but it would imperil all for Its dogma.
It is still q land of enthusiasm. loyal
ties, principles and slogans. 1t still
loves = good, generous phrase like
the consent of the governed. No
other people except the French will so
quickly rally around q phrase, or .
doctrine, or q song, or an attractive
personality like the Americans of
these Southern States.
"'NOw, / believe that America needs
9his intense idealism of the South,
stamped into its life by its sad,
strange history. The nation should