The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1905-08-27
WHAT WILL BETHE END
The Negro Educator is Not Training
Students to Take Their Place in Amy
Industrial System of the South in
Which the White Man Can Direct
and Control Him. He is Training
Them ALI to be Masters of Men.
BY THOMAS DIXON. JR.

copyrighted, 1905, by the Ph1ladel-
phia Saturday Evening Post)
For Mr.. Booker T. Washington AS "a
man and leader of his race | have al
ways had the warmest admiration His
life is romance which appeais to the
heart of universal humanity. Th:
story of a little, ragged, bare-footed
piccaninny who lifted his eyes from
a cabin in the hills of Virginia, saw a
vision and followed it, until at last he
prcsides over the richest and most
powerful institution of learning in the
South, and sits down with crowned
heads and Presidents, has no parallel
even in the Tales of the Arabian
Nights.
The spirit of the man. too, has al
ways impressed me With its breadth,
generosity and wisdom. The aim Of
his work is noble and inspiring. AS
understand it from his own words, it
is Ito make Negroes producers, lovers
of labor, honest, independent, good =
His plan tor doing. this is To lead the
Negro to the got! through the deVel-
opment of solid character, intel ige,4 /
industry and material acquisition.
Only a fool or knaye can find fault
with such an ideal. 1t rests squarey
IL
VIII not solve the Negro problem nor
bring us within sight of its solution.
Upon the other hand. it will only in
tensify that Problems dangerous feG-
lures. complicate and make more DIFF
ficult its ultimate settlement.
1t is this tragic fact to which I am
trying to call the attention of the !la-
ton.
| have for the Negro race oily pity
hxr "A eyta on
vention of Negroes since the appear
ance of my first historical novel on
the race problem has gone out of its
way to denounce me and declare my
books caricatures and libcls on their
people. Their mistake is a natural
one. My books are hard reading for
a Negro, and yet the Negroes in de-
nouncing them, are unwIttngly de-
nouncing one of their best frlepds.
have been intimately associated
with Negroes since the morning OF my
birth during the Civil War. MY
household servants are all Negroes. |
took them to Boston with me, moved
them to New York, and they now have
entire charge of my Virginia home.
The first row / ever had on the Negro
problem was when / moved to Boston
from the South TO take charge of q
fashionable church at the Hub. 1 at
tempted to import my babys Negro
nurse into a Boston hotel. The pro-
pl1etor informed me that no coon
could occupy a room In his house In
any capacity, either as guest or serv-
ant. ! gave him piece of my MIND
and left within an hour.
AS a friend of the Negro race
claim that he should have the oppor-
tunity for the highest. nobleSt and
freest development Of his full, round
ed manhood. He has never had TINS
opportunity in America, either North
or South, and he never can have 1T.
The forces against him are over
Whelming.
My books are simply merciless re-
cords of conditions as they exist, con-
ditions that can have but one ending
il they are not honestly and fearleSSly
faced The Civil War abolished chat
tel slavery 1t did not settle the Negro
problem. It settled the Union queS-
ton and created the Negro problem.
Frederick Harrison, the English phil
osophcr, declared that the one great
shadow which clouds the future of the
American Republic is the approaching
tragedy of the irreconcilable conflict
between the Negro and White Man In
the development Of our society. Mr..
James Bryce recently made a similar
statement.
The Argument OF the Ostrich Man.
If allowed to remain here the Negro
race in the United States will number
GO 100000 at the end of this century
by their present rate of increase.
Think of what this means for a mo-
ment and ycu face the gravest problem
which ever puzzled the brain of states
man or philosopher. No such problem
ever before confronted the white E1aa
in his recorded history. 1t cannot be
whistled down by oDportunists, poll
ticians Weak-minded optimists or fe-
male men. 1t must be squarely met
and fought to a finish.
Several classes of people at present
obstruct airy serious consideration of
this question-the pot-house politician.
the ostrich man. the pooh-pooh man,
and the benevolent old maid. The
politician is still busy over the black
mans vote in doubtful States. The
pooh pooh man needs no definition
he was born fool The benevolent
old maid contributes ever time the hat
it passed and is pretty sure to do as
much harm Us good in the long run -
any cause. The ostrich man is the
funniest of ali this group of obstruc-