Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1905-09-16

ways had the warmest admiration. His
life Is romance which appeals to the
heart Of universal humanity. The story
OF little ragged. barefooted piccaninny
who lifted his eyes from q cabin In the
hills Of Virginia. saw vision and fol-
lowed 1t. until at last he presides over
the richest and most powerful institu-
tion Of learning In the south. and sits
down with crowned heads and presi-
Of the Arabian Nights.
The spirit cf 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 1t from his own words, It
Is ito make negroes producers. lovers
OF labor, honest. Independent. good"
His plan for doing this Is to lead the
negro TO the goal through the develop
ment of solid character. intelligent in
dustry and material acquisition.
Only a fool or knave can find fault
with such an IDEAL II rests squarely
on the eternal verities. And yet II will
not solve the negro problem. nor bring
us within sight of Its solution. Upon
the other hand, II will only intensity
that problems dangerous features. COM
plicate and make more difficult its ulti-
mate settlement.
II is to this tragic fact to which
am trying to call the attention of the
nation.
have for the negro race only pity
and sympathy. though every large con-
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 libels on their people.
Their mistake is natural one. My
books are hard reading for a negro.
and yet the negroes. in denouncing
them. are unwittingly denouncing one
OF their best friends.
have been intimately associated
with negroes since the morning of my
birth during the Civil War. My house,
hold 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 fashionable
church at the Hub. ! attempted to i'm
port my baby's negro nurse into a Bos-
ton hotel. The proprietor informed me
that no coon" could occupy a room In
his house in any capacity. either as
guest or servant. ! gave him a piece
Of my mind and left within an hour.
AS a friend Of the negro race claim
that he should have the opportunity
for the highest. noblest and freest de-
velopment OF his full, rounded man
hood. He has never had this opportu-
nifty in America. either north or south.
and he never can have 1t. The forces
against him are overwhelming.
My books are simply merciless rec
ords of conditions as they exist. condi-
tions that can have but one ending II
they are not honestly and fearlessly
faced. The Civil War abolished chattel
slavery. II did not settle the negro
problem. II settled the union question
and created the negro problem. Fred
eric Harrison. the English philosopher.
declared that the one great shadow
which clouds the future OF the Ameri-
can republic is the approaching tragedy
OF the irreconcilable conflict between
the negro and white man In the devel-
opment of our society. Mr.. James Bryce
recently made a similar statement.
The Argument Of the Ostrich Man.
II allowed TO remain here the negro
race In the United States will number
go. 900. 900 at the end of this century
by their present rate OF increase. Think
of what this means for a moment and
you face the gravest problem which
ever puzzled the brain OF statesman or
philosopher. No such problem ever
before confronted the white man In his
recorded history. II cannot be whistled
down by opportunists. politicians. weak
minded optimists or female men. II
must be squarely met and fought TO
finish.
Several classes OF people at present
obstruct any serious consideration OF
this questionable pot-house politician.
the ostrich man, the pooh-pooh man.
and the benevolent old maid. The poll
tician 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 con-
tributes every time the hat is passed
and Is pretty sure to do as much harm
as good in the long run to any cause.
The ostrich man Is the funniest OF all
this group Of obstructionists. for he Is
a man OF brains and capacity.
I have a friend of this kind In New
York. He got after me the other day
somewhat In this fashion:
What do yoiI want to keep agitating
this Internal question for? There's no
danger In II unless you stir II. Let II
alone. grant you that the negro race
ls a poor. worthless parasite. whose
criminal and animal instincts threaten
society. hut the negro Is here 10 stay.
We must train him. II is the only