The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-03-26
THREE INCIDENTS SHOWING THE
SOUTH'S REAL FEELING FOR
THE NEGRO.

There is no doubt that the South
ern people are better friends of the
negro than the people of any other
section of the country. The superficial
observer who knows little of the real
conditions, often does not understand
the real feeling that subsists between
the negroes and the white people in
the South. He cannot get the facts
from the bloody shirt wavers of the
North or the negro politicians of the
South They have a selfish purpose in
putting the situation in a light that
reflects upon the Southern white man S
justice and kindness.
Three incidents have occurred in
the past week that illustrate the true
feeling better than any eloquent or
able presentation could do. Here is
the first taken from the Savannah
Morning News:
zone of the best known negroes of
Athens Ga, who was in the employ
of the Southern Express Company for
thirty-seven years, died His fidelity
to duty won for him the respect of all
and just before his death the company
had him placed on the pension roll.
During the hour of the old negro's
funeral the office at Athens was closed.
The life of this negro is a worthy eX-
ample for his race. The South UNDER
stands the negro and appreciates him"
The second occurred in Wake coun-
ty, twelve miles from Raleigh and
is thus told in an account of the fun
eral of greatly beloved lady of Wake
Forest:
"The procession was a quarter of a
mile in length, and at the rear were
some of the old slaves of Mrs. Dunn,
mounted and solemnly doing the last
service for their old "Missus. For
several days the darkies had fingered
about the bedside of the one who had
so often been kind to them 1t brought
tears to the eyes of all present to
see the feeble old colored men sadly
fill up the grave-the grave of their
old ''Missus often stopping to talk
to the one in the coffin, with voices
feeble and eyes filled with tears
"We believe if Northern fanatics,
who know nothing of the negro pro-
blem, could have witnessed this scene
they might have called a halt on all
their periodicals concerning the mall
erner in the days of slavery. There
has been, is and always will be, so
long as the small remnant of the old
slaves live, a tender, passionate feel.
ing existing between the old "Marsa"
and his slaves. In fact, the South
erner is and has been the best and
only friend the black man has ever
had in this country"
There died in Arson county this
State, last week, a negro man who
had been a slave. In the last issue of
the Wadesboro Messenger and Intel
Iigencer there appears an obituary of
that humble person from the pen OF
Hon Risden Tyler Bennett, ex-Supe-
rior Court Judge and ex-Congressman,
that is appreciative and unique. 1t is
in full as follows:
Death Of Geo. Crowder, ColOred.
81 make my tribute to the life and
character Of George Crowder, ex-slaVe
and philosopher. Born more than So
years ago, entered into rest eternal
March 18th, 1906, after intense suffer-
ing from pneumonia.
HE was inferred at the Caraway
grave yard, a little more than four
miles from town. amid a large COM
pany of people of both races. The
ministers, Burrill Sturdivant and San
dy Duncan, conducted the services at
the grave with JUNCTION from on high.
His wife, a daughter of Lewis Bog
gan, colored, survives him with several
children, whom George reared in the
fear and admonition of the Lord. The
chief pleasure in life is derived from
the company of our interiors People
who are constantly screwed up to the
point of saying only those things which
are tOp-dressed with icing are deserv-
ing but belong TO themselves. They
have little sympathy with conditions
in life away below them
George was one of the most power
full minded colored men since Han
nibal. l have his 'Proverbial Phil
Osophy' in manuscript. 1t is worth all
the money spent in foreign missions
the last year.
Il think George Crowder could have
composed fables equal to those
ascribed to Esop. who was a slave
His manners were perfect in every
outward expression. He was the first
man l heard use the saying, That
good manners were invented by the
best white folks to keep Rabshaks at
a distance" / never could persuade
him to give UP his belief in haunts
God tempers the wind to the
shorn lamb.
EP m pENTNrU,rT,rrs ,,