Evening journal., 1905-03-11
REV. Mn. COLLINS
AND RACE ISSUE
He Says the North Does
Not Know Real Con-
ditions
SOUTH is NEGRO'S BEST FRIEND

known ministers of the Wilmington NJ. |
+. Conference. sends an interesting |
communication TO the New York !
Tribune IN defense Of his position on
the race question. The article which IS
published in that paper to-day, says;
To the Editor Of The Tribune.
Sir: In your issue Of February "a.
a clipping Of which lies before me, On
an article headed Pastor for Lynch
ing" you do me an injustice and also
the honorable gentlemen composing the
Southern Society Of Northeastern Penn
sylvania, before whom ] spoke.
First-My address is Port Deposit,
and 1 have never lived in Pocomo City,
a place that Is not I'm existence
Second-I did not "denounce." nor
have I ever denounced" President
Roosevelt, whom I regard as the great
est and best President we have had
since Lincoln. and who bids fair 20 he
known as the greatest living ruler with
In the next four years.
Third did not advocate, nor ever
have advocated. lynching; nor do Il
see how any sane man who loves God
and his country can advocate IL.
What / did say would require moro
columns, as I spoke for about half an
hour. But that part Of my speech to
(which your item refers might be sum-
married as follows:
First-The one great overwhelming
question that confronts the Southland
Is the negro question.
Second-Presldent Roosevelt, mush to
the regret OF the South. has committed
three acts. official acts. that. Instead
of helping the Southern brother solve
his difficult question. have added TO the
ldihiculties OF the solution; these three
acts the very best friends OF the Presl-
dent in the South regard as grave
mistakes upon the part of the Presi-
dent, which he, I'm their judgment
would not have committed II he had
only known the real feeling at the
lSOuth.
Third-The North does not under
stand the South nor the Southern mans
latitude to the negro.
Fourth-The southern man is the best
friend the negro has IN this country
to-day: shown in the fact that the
Southern negro invariably goes to the
former slave owner or his sons when
lin trouble, IN preference to the carpet
bagger" or his SUCCESSORS, and by the
further fact that the negro has an ops
portunlty to work at trades OF all kinds
In the SOUTH from many of which he
would be debarrcd ~ he Attempted the
isame work alongside Of and I'm compe-
titlon with the white man at the
North
Fafth-Does not lynching prove the
reverse Of this? No. for lynching Is
not confined 10 tho South. nor Is il
lconfined TO the negro. The same crime.
committed North or South and COM
omitted by white or black man. would
meet the same fate. q gave the de-
tails Of just one such crime, details
that the newspapers cannot print. nor
even hint at, and asked them what
would have happened IN Scranton Il
such a crime had been committed
there.)
Slxth-The North. not knowing the
real conditions at the South. adds 10
the difficulty OF the situation by con-
tinually siding with the criminal negro
as against the outraged victim. Col
umns are devoted to the horrors Of a
lynching, with scarcely a five-line item
of the diabolical outrage that caused
the lynching.
Seventh-The Southern man in the
North must act as peacemal0er be-
tween the sections, by quietly stating
the facts to the men with whom he
mingles, and must endeavOr to secure
a fair hearing for his section of the
country. Our glorious country car
J never be truly one until all sections
agree to let the different sections set
& tie their own peculiar problems as best
they can in their own way. Just as
III N.fl Faf4 -.
attempt to compel Massachusetts By
national legislation t6 settle the frequent
strikes and troubles of the textile work.
'ers, or to attempt by national Iegls-
lation % compel Pennsylvania 30 set.
+ tile her anthracite troubles according tt
Southern ideas. just so Is II unfair foi
5 Massachusetts and Pennsylvania to at.
J tempt by national legislation to com.
( pei the South TO settle the negro cues,
] tion according to the ideas of the Mas
sachusctts and Pennsylvania. When tn,
, North learns the great truth that tn,
= men ait the South are just as wise. jus
, as conscientious, just as God -fearin,
= and just as loyal to our country as IN,
! North dare be, we will have made
3 far step toward our national miHen
nium. Until then 1t is the duty of ever,
{ Southern man who has made his hom,
! in the North so TO live among hi
associates tn business, in politics and q
religion that they cannot but see an,
say, well, II you are n sample Of th
Southern gentleman. they are a prett,
good set, after ALL"
VAUGHAN S. COLLINS,
Pastor Tome Memorial VI. E. Church
e Port Deposit. Nd, March 8, 1905.