The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1904-11-02

viii be published except as an advertisement.
Entered at the Postofsce at Manning as Sec
ono Class matter.
AN 1LL-TIMED CONFESSION.
The constant agitation Of racial
conditions in the South by news
papers like the News and Courier,
has brought from the Springfield
Republican a rebuke which
should teach the Southern news
papers that the negro agitation
by them is mixed up with whole
lot of hypocrisy, and that the
North has a better conception OF
conditions here than many sup
pose. That this is true, is attest
ed by the confession of the News
and Courier in it's issue of last
Friday, and which is in our
opinion good campaign material
for Republican use, when they
are called upon to reply to the
everlasting dinging public speak
ers and newspapers indulge IN
about social equality. We re-
produce the News and Courier's
leading editorial and would ask
if this confession is not enough
to make the North tell the South
to pick the mote from her own
eyes, before she undertakes to
read lectures to the North. We
regard the following a fine docu-
ment for Republican campaign
erS.
Commenting upon the recommends
ton to the effect that Private John NJ.
Smith be discharged ''for the good OF
::the service in view Of the fact that
he has married a negro woman. The
News and Courier recently requested
President Roosevelt to say whether
stthe Government of the United States
:sbelieves miscegenation to be among
s:the rights that its citizens are entitled
to exercise and enjoy" and to answer
the question whether he himself be
lieves we should remain white or does
he hope TO see US become mulatto.
Quoting part Of what we said IN TINS
connection the esteemed Springfield
Republican takes the matter up and IN
dulges in some discussion of it which IS
both intelligent and interesting. It
does not commit itself to the assertion
that the ''good OF the service" demands
the discharge of Private Smith from
the army, but it appears to think that
this action might be taken without de-
triment to the public veal II the decree
were made TO include ''a1 marriages
between white soldiers and women OF
all other races not reckoned white. u
: But we are not for the moment con-
cerned with what the Republican
thinks is the proper disposition to be
made of Private Smiths case. In the
course of its consideration OF the sub
iect OF preserving race integrity the
Republican says:
s.The appeal which comes from the
South in the matter is made on behalf
of race integrity. That is consldera-
tion unouestionably worthy Of serious
notice and especially to be commended
. W GLiS W SISUISGII dOpO4CiOb VI oAN 'ANASS
people of the South where at least one
seventh OF the whole colored popula-
:tion is a. mixture Of white and black
races. Talking about black and tan
civilization'-there we have its real
and threatening beginnings on broad
foundation, and not in any such rare
and Isolated and lawful unions as the
case of Private Smith exemplifes.
Race integrity or purity, if it is to be
preserved at ali, must have back of it
an innate race pride and instructive
aversion to sexual relations with other
races. If these qualities Or instincts
are lacking in human nature, neither
law nor social convention in the long
run can possibly save race integrity:
and If these qualities are existent, thea
neither law nor convention is required
to preserve race integrity, but the mat
ter may safely be left to the Individual
as free agent"
The rebuke thus administered to the
Southern people is unfortunately too
we'll founded. The presence among US
of so many mulattoes is lasting and
damning disgrace We do nov know
that the percentage of colored persons
given by the Republican is accurate,
and a. fraction one way or another
would not make the least difference in
the world so far as the argument is
concerned. 1t is alleged that the mis-
cegenation OF which the complaint and
criticism are made is largely on the de-
crease. We trust and believe that it is.
But even this fact does not rescue US
from the reproach heaped upon our
civilization by our Springfield contem-
porary:
1t is shameful thing that there
should have been and that there still
are thousands of children in the South
whose mothers are black women and
whose fathers are white men. That it
is an evil to which peremptory period
should be put may not be gainsaid. 1t
is matter in which the law is well
night impotent at the present time, but
it is not a matter which might not be
reached by statute in extremity
If remedy cannot be provided for it
self by outraged society and other ways,
we should unhesitatingly advocate the
passage OF d law which would make
such transgressions Of the moral code
crimes punishable in our Courts If
miscegenation is a menace to the race
and to society when practiced under
the law how much more disgraceful
and threatening does it become when
practiced ':out of the law?"
We believe the decency, the man
hood and the pride of Southern men
have already started to the rescue of
our civilization-that the white father
OF a colored child is rapidly disappear
ing, His crime is daily held in more
bitter contempt, and the society which
ne disgraces is hourly purgins itself Of
his communicating presence and indu-
ence. There is no adequate defence to
be made against the charge of the
Springfield Republican, until public
opinion in the South has branded illicit