The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1904-05-29

the white man as a race was struggling up
to similar purpose; but for the mass OF the
negro pOpula ton there is yet before us 10
do practically all the work that confronted
the Nation in 1863. Tile negro was turned
loose to shift for himself. as if a nation
that had done him wrong would thus dodge
all further responsibility. The results OF
that needless freeing and indifference as to
the fate of the free are now here at the
beginning of the twentieth century, COM
Polling us TO face problem of more Sc
riOus aspect than when it was faced and
evaded fOrty-0ne years ago, for the negro
has increased, he has tasted power. he has
been buoyed up with ideas of social equal
ity created by fiat, and now that the cup
of political blessing once held up to his lips
is being snatched from him suddenly he
Is bound 10 exact serious thought and Sc
rious purpose, and must have these or the
result later will be still more dangerous to
our national health. il is proved by the
work of Tuskegee Carlisle and other
schools that. the negro can be prepared for
the struggle of life and can be taught
through labor the dignity of labor and the
dignity of himself human being.
Therefore if we contend in our large CEN
tiers of population for unlimited money TO
be spent the education of our own chill
dren and the children of the wanderers
who come here, there is an analogy and
should be an appeal to reason in asking
for ii similar liberality of expenditure in
educating and preparing for life those who,
by their wrongs, have every claim upon US
for rights.
Fortv-one years ago the negro had fair
respect for law Law was embodied very
largely in the authority that his master
had over him. and in most cases he re
spected his master and bowed to his de-
cision. We have made very little, if any,
progress since that time in teaching the
negro to respect law; in fact in many
communities the negro has no respect for
law And why? Because. while the white
men accuse the negro of being a creature
of unbridIed animal passion, yet. in dealing
with that aspect Of his character, they
show themselves possessed by an equal
frenzy leading to a desire for blood without
due process of law. Lynching, and the dis
turbances that follow lynching, are alto
gether bad no matter what the crime of
the negro may have been. They destroy
respect for law throughout the neighbour
hood; they make passion take the place of
calm justice; they produce. anarchy and
create no thought of subservience 10 law
except as law is shown in force. 1t is hor-
rible to contemplate the failure that the
United States has so far made In guiding
forward the feeble footsteps of u down
trodden race. Only comparatively few
noble men and women have been trying
to deal with this problem left by war
that was expected to give TO this Nation
under God a new birth of freedom" The
case of the negro has seemed to be almost
like that of a swimmer struggling in the
sea. His ears are cheered by encouraging
shouts from the shore. but his hands when
they are reached out to the lifeboat are
battered by hostile men. compelling him 10
fall back and drown. For the negro there
is encouragement from the broad-minded.
but against the negro are arrayed ig
norance, prejudice and antagonism, which,
If seen in the negro would Justify his alb
solute condemnation; but seen in the white
man. with centuries more of opportunity
and education, show such retrogressive
qualities TO compel a change of Lin
coins words from an assertion into qucs-
tion-"have these dead died in vain?
A danger known is "A danger half van
pushed. The national heart is weak, but
sound-it needs only 10 be aroused. We
have been. as a nation. too busy subduing
a continent and wrenching its treasures 10
the surface Many of us thought 10 build
up a temple of greatness on wealth and
mental attachments the only needful
foundations Our neglected heart is warn
ing US of its conditiOn-twinges OF national
pain tell TO call halt in the pursuit of
selfish gain. III We heed. we are great
enough 10 triumph over inner weakness.
An electric thrill of purpose is felt here
and there; il viii become national: then
indeed, shall come 10 pass Linc0ln's vision
of IA new birth OF freedom"
ID. III. GRANVILLE.
New York. May q.