The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1905-06-18
RACE QUESTION IS
FURTHER DISCUSSED
DR.. STAGES ADDRESS BRINGS A
REPLY FROM A COMMITTEE OF
THE COLORED DIVINITY
ScHooL-HIsTORlc REVIEW.

To the Editor of The Age-Heraldi
We, the undersigned, ask space in your
paper to notice DR.. Stages published ad-
dress involving the status of the Ameri-
can negro.
Dr. Stagg I'm his address declares him
self friendly to the negro In support
of this declaration. leading eolored
man in the state from which the doctor
comes to US, writes to one of our number
not to fail to meet the doctor, as he is a
genuine friend of the colored people.
But, above every other testimony, stands
his sacred office as the minister and rep
resentative of the gracious Christ as
evidence that DIR. Stagg cannot wish or
willingly allow himself to become
cause of harm to the lowliest of the sons
of men.
Hence, our motive is not to make fight
against him. but to turn further light on
what he says for the purpose of en-
abling the public TO deal justly with the
facts involved.
We ask to be, seen as friends with
friends, engaged earnestly and honestly
in the discussion of what seems to be
perplexng public question. Void of all
colorings OF duplicity, we declare our
talth IN the manhood OF the south and
of the American nation.
Is 1t possible to work out the negro
problem In the light of the racial
ideals" referred to? There Is hardly room
for reasonable doubt that man has been
on earth 10000 or 10000 years. The work
accomplished by the erosiye tiny streams
which have cut their beds through the
rocks of the mountains, added to the
fact that the geologist says that he finds
human signs in the "quaternary period"
show that the world, and man, too, are
of a great while ago. But these ideals
are only about 1900 years old. Thousands
Of years therefore, lie behind them.
What was the state of the Peasgians
and Latins during this time? Their rs-
Ing process was slow and consecutive
in its forward movements. We may feel
sure of this Celtic and Teutonic civil
MISUNDERSTANDING should say, appear
later still. The point we seek to make
is that the making of the basic ideals
of our present civilization is a thing of
comparatively recent date. We contend
that the evidence goes to show that the
time wherein mankind remained in the
savage and barbaric stages far exceeds
In length the time covered by the his
tory of civilization. A long night goes
before the day of the foremost race of
men May not fairness plead for time on
behalf of the modern barbarian or saw
age, as well as for the ancient barbarian?
If the white race know that they have
escaped from the weakness ignorance
and deformity of thousands of years OF
savagery and barbarism into their pres
ent glorious civilization and power, they
are prepared not only to teach other
races the way out, but to have patience
with them in their failures.
The Fundamental Ideals.
Those people who gave the world the
religious ideal, the Jews, DIR. Stage
leaves out of his list. We refer to 1t only
to say: ID That Jewish history reveals
to us the phases and steps in the evolu-
ton and enlargement of human life as
no other history does, and (2) that herein
appears the patience of God toward the
foolish and weak of the sons of men.
Herein, too, we see the long ages re-
quired to evolve tho truth from its germ
inal forms into the glorious proportions
Of the New Testament.
Criticisms of q. T. Washington.
To cause a people to lose faith in theli
leaders is to stop in a large degree their
forward movements. Beside this fact,
inasmuch as our leaders are the expo
nents of our best life before the nation
and the world 1t will be well for us
IL they may be seen in favorable light
Jby the ruling race. Il our best men must
be despised the mass-lfe cannot hope
for better
lies in their trained muscles. Something