Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1905-02-16

VIII De raised 10 all even nfRner 0eHrGo;
and II is no less sure that the debascn1ent
Of the blacks will in the end carry with it
an attendant debasement Of the whites.
| The problem Is 40 to adjust tho rela-
tons between Two races Of different cthnlc
typo that the rights of neither bc abridged
nor jcoparded; that the backward race
be trained SO that II may enter into the
possession Of true freedom, while the
forward race is enabled 10 preserve un.
harmed the high civilization wrought out
by its forcfathcrs The working out OF
this problem must necessarily be slow:
1t IL not possible in ofrhand fashion to
obtain or 10 confer the priceless boons OF
freedom. industrial efficiency, political
capacity. and domestic morality. Nor Ia
it only necessary to train the colorcd
man: 1t is quite as necessary tdetrain the
white man. for on his shoulders rests a
wcll-nigh unparalleled sociological re-
sponaibilty. 1t is a problem demanding
tho best thought the utmost patience
the most oarnest effort, the broadest
charity Of the statesman. the student, tho
philanthropst: of the leaders Of thoughr
In every department OF our national life.
the church can he most important
factor in solving IL Alright. But above all
else We need for its successful solution
the sober kindly. steadfast. unselfsh per-
formancc Of duty by the average plain
citizen in his everyday dealings with his
follows.
The ideal OF elemental Justice nAtcd
out to every man is the ideal We should
keep ever before us II will he many
a long day before We attain ia II. and
unless we show not only devotion TO IT,
but also wisdom and self-restraint in tho
exhibition Of that deviation. We shall de-
fer the time for its realization still futher.
in striving to attain to 80 much Of 1t as
concerns dealing with men Of different
coors. We must remember two things.
FATE DEFENDS UPON HIMSELF.
In the FIRST place. it is true OF the coll
ored man, as II is true OF the white man.
that in the long run his fate must depend
far more upon his own effort than upon
the efforts Of any outside friend. Every
vicious. venal, or igorant colored man is
an even greater foe TO his own race than
to the community as a whole The col
ured mans self-respect entities him TO do
that share in the political work Of The
country which is warranted by his in
dividual ability and integrity and the po-
stion he has won for himself But tho
prime requisite Of the race is moral and
industrial uplifting
Laziness and shftiessness these, ana
above all, vice and criminaity Of every
kind. are evils mora potent for harm to
the black race than all acts of oppres-
sion Of white men put together. The col
ored man who fails to condemn crime in
another colored man, who fails TO CO.
operate in all lawful ways in bringing
colorcd criminals to Justice. is tho worst
enemy OF his own people. as we'll as an
enemy 10 all the people. Law-abidng
black neil. should, for the sake of their
race, he foremost in relentless and I'M
ceasing warfare against law breaking
black men. If the standards of private
morality and industrial efficiency can be
raised high enough among the black race.
then IT'S future on this continent is
cure. The stability and purity of tn,
home is vital to the welfare of the black
| race. AS it is TO the welfare OF every
race.
SOUTHERN WHITES MUST HELP.
In tho next place the White man, who.
| If only he is willing, can help the colorcd
man more than all other white men put
together. IL the white man who is his
neiehbor. North or South. Each of lis
must do his whole duty without ninching
and if that duty is national IL must he
done in accordance with the principles
above laid down. Bu, in cndeavoring
each to b" his brothers keeper it is wise
to remember that each can normally do
most for the brother who is his immediate,
NJ ghbor. If we are sincere friends Of he
negro let Us each IN his own locality show
it by his action therein. and let us each
~ he hor &c
the white man lin whatever locality who
is striving to do justice to the poor and
the helpless, to be a shield to those whose
need for such a shield is great.
TIL" hearticst acknowledgements are
due to tho ministers. the judges and law
officers. the grand juries. tho public men
and tho great daily newspapers in the
South. who have recently done such offec-
two work in leading the crusade against
lyching in The South: and ! am glad to
say that during the last three months the
returns, MS far as they can DO gathered
show a smaller number of lynchngs than
for any other two months during the last
~ years. Let us uphold in every way
the hands of tho men who have led In
this work. who are striving to do all their
work in this spirit. l am about to quote
from the address of the Right Reverend
Robert Strange, bishop coadiutor OF
North Carolina. az given in the Southern
Churchman Of October s. 1901:
The bishop first enters an emphatic
plea against any social intcrmingling of
the races: question which must. of
course, Inc left to the people Of each COM
mnnity 10 settle for themselves. as in
such a matter no ono community -and
indeed no one indiv idual--can dictate to
any other; always provided that in each
locality men keep In MIND the fact that
there must be no confusing Of civil privi-
lcgcs with social intercourse. Civl law
cannot regulate social practices. Society
as such. Is a law unto itself, and viii AL
ways regulate its own practices and
tai fact that all men should stand on an
equal footing, as regards civil privileges
in no way intcrfcrcs with recognition OF
the further fact that all retie- ting mon
of both races are united IN feeling that
race purity must be maintained The
bishop continues:
what should the white Ilcn OF the
South 40 for the negro" They must give
him a free hand. fair field, and cor
dial sodspoed. the two races working to-
sethcr for their mutual benefit ana for
he development Of our common country
lie must have liberty. equal opportunity
to make his living, to earn his bread, o
build his home Hc must have Justice
equal rights and protection before the