The Palatka news. [volume] (Palatka, Fla.) 1905-1908, 1905-03-24
The Goo Goo"

In the main those who came here
to attend the recent sessions of the
bible conference were of superior
class of people, men and women OF
known social, religious, professional
and business standing who were at.
tracted by the promise of receiving
moral and religious uplift amid
wholly restful surrounding.
But the conference also attracted
the GOO Goo" BY this term is
meant the religious gusher. The
man who is long on religion and
short on brains. The mental feather :
weight who is incapable of discern
ing that an important part of every
mans religion is found in the Elev-
enth COmmandment-"Thou shalt
mind thine own business" One of
those "holier than thou" bipeds
whose chief occupation is to make
himself generally obnoxious and who
is an eminent success at his occupa-
ton.
A few of these sort of people ale
always to be found at religious or
temperance conventions. Some call
them cranks. But they are not that.
A crank usually has brains in album
dance, while the ''goo-goo" is shy.
Probably the most conspicuous
male go0-goo at the recent confer
ence was man from New York.
During the last week of the post
conference meetings this man, ow-
ing to the indisposition of the regu-
lar speaker, was called upon to act
as instructor. His talk is said to
have been remarkable chiefly as evil
dencing what he didn't know. He
made it the opportunity for taking
the people of the south to task for
their treatment of the 'c0lored
brethren"
In speaking of this talk to the News
one of the leaders of the conference
excused it on the ground that this
was the mans first visit to the
south" This probably does account
for his profound knowledge" of our
social conditions.
But best of all is the set back this
man received from negro.
1t was the sO-called "blind neg o
evangelist. y He attended all the meet
ings of the conference and had Il con-
spicuOus seat on the right side of the
hall we'll toward the center. This
negroes object in such faithful Rtten-
dance was to work" some of the Wis
itOrs for money with which to pur-
chase gospel tent One evening
at the close of the meeting our goo
goo visitor hurried up to the negro
and, extending his hand, expressed
regret that he was not better treated
in the south; told him that if he was
i'll the north he would be made much
of and that neither the color of his
skin nor the kinks in his hair would
operate to debar him from the best
society. The negro listened to his
sympathizer patiently and then
answered, But you are mistaken; |
receive the kindest treatment from
the white people here; l couldn't ask
better" The reply of the negro
made many who heard it smile. The
goo-goo also smiled but 1t was the
smile of one who had fioundered.
1t should be stated in justice to our
own reputable colored people that
this so called blind negro evange-
list" whom the goo goo found so
much satisfaction in associating
with, is not representative of
our honest colored people. On the
contrary ne is one who had been re-
pudiated by his own people for the
reason that during his stay in Ores
sent City he lived in open adultery.
Last week the authorities were Oblig-
ed for very decency's sake to advise
him to correct his style of living or
town, He chose to leave. Our
,olored people are quite willing that
MS goo goo friend should take him
10 New York and introduce him into
MS goo goo set.
The News trusts that the gush of
his goo goo has not disguised our
people to the point of destroying the |
influence for good which the confer
snce certainly would have had were
t not for the disgusting actions of
his man. He represented nothing |
lut his own asinine self.
LAKE COMO.