The Birmingham age-herald., 1905-08-20
wANAMAkER-WAsHINeToN.
Social Equality Discussed by Northen
 Man Living In Alabama.
o the Editor of The Age-Herald,

To the Editor of The Age-Heraidi
 The Wanamaker- Booker T. Washing ton episode at Saratoge has been duly discussed and characterized by some of the leading men of the south. and I desire to add word to the discussion as a son of the south by adoption. who has a thorough and intimate knowledge of the true-feellng of the northern peo- pie with respect to social equality.
 To state it buntly they have no more use for social equality with the negro than have the people of the south. MT. Wanamaker has always been and will always be a "fadist" In his tempera- ment and disposition he has many points in common with President Roosevelt. He used to be very hysterical on religion, he got over that when he went into politics. As suggested in Black mans cartoon he probably entertained Booker Washington as a social equal at Saratoga for the deliberate purpose of getting the pseudo advantages In the way of advertising which will result from such display.
 John Wanamaker knows no more about the negro question of the south than the King of Dahomey knows about the Russo Japanese contentious. And what Is more, and worse-he does not care to know. He Is the merchant prince-and what he does not know on many a subject would make a large book. Even well-informed. Droad minded men at the north have false and erroneous notions and inform ation on this question. As I have proven in my own case, (having settled in Ala bama as an emigrant from New York less than ten years ago)-it takes several years of careful study on southern soil to master this question. or even to have a fair and just comprehension of 1t.
 Mir Wanamaker cares nothing for such details. He Is regular MT. Leo Hunter, and if he has found black lion he has found as great curio as MT, Barnum's white elephant. Honest John must have his fling. His palate is becoming sated. and 1t takes hot stuff now and then to make him relish his meat
 MT. Wanamaker Is also a philanthropist, and he naturally 'flocks' with the birds of that feather. He probably was not moved by any single motive to father Booker T. in that audacious manner at Saratoga. He meant to advertise Hon est John" and also to boost the colored brother. He wanted the world to recog- nize that he, Honest John." recognized Booker T. Washington of Tuskegee-a black man-as a great man, and brother.
 If that were the end of it there would be no particular harm done perhaps But it Is not the end of 1t. Through such ac- tions as that of John Wanamaker. and some of those ascribed to President Roosevelt, the average negro of the south has been prompted to assume moro offensive attitude towards the white race. and the situation has become almost un- bearable, not only in Alabama, but in every state where the negroes exist in large numbers They are as offensive in Indiana as in Georgia and in Chicago and New York as In Atlanta or Bir- mingham Thousands of them exist in squalor and refuse absolutely to work for the white farmers simply because they have formed compact among themselves not to do so. Some of their teachers are telling them today that the time Is not far distant when they will own the land and the whites will be work ing for them. A black preacher with whom was discussing the subject only the other day said that he had heard a good deal said about bringing in white labor to take the place of the blacks who are growing more lazy and unsatisfactory
 If they do that" said he, "and bling in the Italians, Chinese and so on they'll soon kill off all the whites unless our people come in and save them from de- struction."
 MT. Wanamaker and all his ilk know and care nothing about these conditions, and these sentiments. They know no more about negro character than a hog knows about astronomy. They have no sense of proportion or perspective in case where their prejudice rules their ideas. They lose sight of the fact that the negro was simply barbarian but step removed from condition of abso- lute savagery, and that the upward step came through the awful slavery against which they rail so vociferously
 The negro was good for nothing until he was made a slave by the white race. Herds of wild cattle or buffalo played as important part In the economy of> the world. All that they have learnedA of Christianity and of civilization they owe to slavery. That was the only thing which induced their transportation from the wild 1ungles of Africa, and throughout the south today wherever they remove them selves from the influence of the white man they are rapidly reverting to bar barism.
 Social equality with the negro Is an utter fmpossibllity with the southern peo- pie. and 1t is scarcely less so with the people of the north I predict that the race problem will be transferred almost entirely to the northern states within another generation. and that the negro population of those commonwealths will far outnumber that of the south. There will then he none among the merchant princes of the Quaker city to emulate the 1905 example of Honest" John Wana- maker and there will be Jim Crow laws In New England and Pennsylvania as stringent as those of Alabama or Louls- | jana.
 Booker T. Washington win be known in history, firmly believe as one of the most hurtful leaders O. the negro race