Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1905-05-04

ofIlce-holder in Tayabas, declares that
the negro is debarred from certain
positions in the civil service which he
could fill'well. Mr.. Lynch thinks this
injustice unintentional; none the less
this discrimination is partly response
Bile for the large number Of negro
vagabonds in the islands, who are
pitied only by the natives. Not
helping hand is extended to the ne
eroes who are down, and even the best
fitted for the struggle for life among
them find their opportunities few and
far between. Writing to the Spring.
field Republican. colored man re-
Gently complained that a number Of
negro workmen who were arrested at
drinking resort in Manila were inno-
cent victims of the growing prejudice
in civil, military, social and official
circles against their race. Every
thing possible is being done, SO this
writer reports, to discourage Ameri-
can negroes from going to or remain
ing in the islands.
While the foregoing statements may
have basis of truth. there is, doubt
less, another side to the story. Ne
groes who go to the Philippines with
the idea that they will find opportuni-
ties there for living without work are.
surely destined to rude awaken
ing. Those, however, who go there
looking for work will have no trouble
in finding it. There is no need for
Industrious negroes to go to the Philip
pines in search of work. The South
itself will afford them ample opportun-
tiles for earning an honest living. The
trouble with the negro race in the
South today is principally laziness.
Several years ago the writer spent a
day in Charleston, S. c., and was
specially impressed with the number
of negro men-great hulking. able
bodied fellows-whO lOunged ard
loafed about the streets in absolute
idlencss. In the outskirts of the city
it is true a large number of negroes
t0iled in the fields beneath a blazing
sun that would soon have sent white
worker to the hospital; but, almost
without exception. they were women.
The male negro at the South-with
few notable exceptions-is not blessed
with any large amount of chivalry. He
lives very cheerfully upon the earnings
Of lis mother, his wife or his sister.
untrOubled with any qualms of con-
science. Under stress of circum-
stances ne may occasionally work
spasmodically and under protest. The
Southern planters and business men
have learned, to their cost, that he Is
not a dependable factor in the labor
problem. At small station in
Georgia the writer was astonished to
see long line of negro men hoeing
tobacco In a nearby field: but they
| were in convict garb and white guards
with loaded rifles. and an overseer
with long whip held them to their
task. 1t is evident that the first great
worl-tO be done in the building up of
tie negro i'm the South is to teach the
necessity of thrift: to stimulate in
him a desire to accumulate and hold
property, and a clear appreciation of
the necessity of honest industry In Sc
curing it. Such a work the great
| negro educator, Booker T. Washing
tor, is engaged in. and the whole coun-
try should unite in holding up his
hands. The wonderful results at
tnined through Industrial education at
| Tuskegee would seem to indicate that
the hope of the colored race lies In this
direction, and that its regeneration
must be persistently and patiently
worked out along these lines. Large,
| however, as is the work accomplished
at Tuskegee, and far-reaching as is its
| Influence, the fact remains that it is
merely a drop in the bucket with a
population OF nearly 100000 people.
| 1t must be-and we have faith to be-
lieve it will be-largely extended In or
der to accomplish lasting results that
shall be fairly comprehensive of the
whole negro race in this country, and
especially in the South.
1t must he evident that a negro who
is shift!ess and lazy in this country.
will not be born into a new life of in
dustry and enterprise by the mere
process Of transportation to the Philip
pines. He will be the same old six
pence there that he was here-and
it would be well for the dreamers and
idealists who have, in the exuberance
of mere theory. mapped out a career
of triumph for him in the Philippines
tc keep this fact clearly in mind. 1t
is always well. in dealing with prob
lens Of this character. to keep the
soles of ones feet upon the solid