The Montgomery advertiser., 1905-03-22
A FALSE EXPRESSION.

more Is one of the most prominent and influential organs of the colored race in the South, and for that reason we repubiish the following editorial from a recent issue:
 Just why the negro should be called on to play the sleuth and policeman on all his neighbcrs any more than the white man Is called upon for the same purpose is hard for us to say. It Is to ferret out criminals of our race and bring them to justice Well, suppose we do not, are we any worse than any ether race of pespie7 Id Is 1t our ,fS Partic .Ss policeman and hunt up every colored man who breaks the law just in order to make ourselves solid with the white folks and prove to them that we are good citizens? We rather think not.
 Whenever our white friends set us the example of leaving their business and turning policemen for the the, beneiit ss.rn over the matter. We are not in sym pathy with negroes who are law breakers, and we have no hesitationin they ought to be dealt with according to law. but we do not feel 1t incumbent upon us to leave our business and go more than our white friends think 1t bad white people.
 At present we are using all laudable our people by making use of all the agencies that those of the favored race make use of among themselves. We Msn. sEs estsb,.shins Ssp,iss orDnanssss Young Women's Christian Associations. slum workers. charitable organizations of different kinds, and ,associating our ganizations they have started for any and all purposes that have for It's ob- 1ect the uplifting of the human race. At feast give W us or credit f for Sood % infen. tions along this line.
 We copy the above to show how an ostensibly fair and intelligent negro will try to mislead his readers and lead them away from the real ground of sumption here made that the negroes should leave their business and turn policemen Is without foundation, and The Ledger uses it either through ig- norance or from a desire to hide the facts. No one expects either whites or general aggregation of criminal hunt CTS. There are officers of the law whose business 1t Is to search for and apprehend law-breakers, and they are entitled to the assistance of all good citizens when such assistance is re- good citizens to give information when called on. and not to mislead the of- ficers.
 Here is the real cause of complaint, and The Ledger knows it. or else 1t is lamentably ignorant. Instead of aid ing in the execution of the law when a crime has been committed by one of their race they use all their opportuni- ties and ingenuity to mislead the ofi- cers and shield the criminal The am cient Gaels themselves were not more clannish than are the negroes asa a race. They appear to think that their color calls oh them to shield crime and protect criminals. This Is the main reason why 1t Is so difficult to appre- bend a negro who has committed any demanding the death penalty The of- ficers are misled, misinformed, or lied to when necessary, and every possible obstacle is thrown in their way in or- der to protect a criminal.
 All of The Ledger's claims relating to the efforts of the best representa- lives of It's race to elevate the negroes and lift them above their criminal instincts may be conceded without af- fecting the real issue. We are pleased to admit that there are to be found throughout the South. colored men and women who are doing good work for their people, and who appear to be earnest in their efforts. For this we are ever ready to give them credit, and the white people generally are ready to assist and encourage them, and to bring them to full sense of their du- ties and obligations as citizens. It Is for the good of both races that the ne- groes should become better men and women.
 But this does not touch the main cause of complaint. nor remove the main difficulty in the way of punish ing criminals. If the better class of colored people really want to live bet ter lives. if they desire to become good citizens. If they care for the friend ship. the assistance and protection of the white people. they must set to themselves the task of teaching their race that 1t is wrong to shield crimi- nals merely because they are colored. They must be taught that it is their duty to aid the officers of the law when necessary. They must be made to understand that when a crime has been committed by a negro they owe 1t to themselves as well as to the laws and to society to aid in bringing him to justice. They are not required to become sleuths, detectives and police- men, to neglect their business and form themselves into organizations of man. hunters. but 1t is expected of them that they will give truthful informa- tion when called on. and that they will hear in mind that A colored criminal