The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-02-14
with Frcat qualities in which we have the
right 20 feel Just pride.

North must because they are good Amer-
cans. feel the most earnest friendship for
their iollow-countrymen who dwell in the
South. a friendship all the greater because
IL il in the South that we find in It's most
acute phase one Of the gravest problems
before our people: the problem OF so dealing
with the man Of one color az to secure him
the rights that no one would Frudge him II
he were Of another color. To solve this
[ problem il Ia Of course necessary to edu-
cate him 10 perform the duties. failure
TO perform which will render him curse TO
himself and 10 all around him.
Most certainly all clear-sighted and
generous men In the North appreciate
the difficulty and perplexity Of this problem,
| sympathi2e with the South in the embar-
rassnent Of conditions for which she is not
| alone responsible feel an honest wish to
help her where help Is practicable. and
have the hcartest respect for those brave
/ and earnest men Of the South who in the
/ face Of felrful difficulties, are doing all
that mon can DO for tho betternent alike
( 81 white and Of black. The attitude Of the
/ North toward the negro is far from what il
! 4hcud be and there il need that the North
I 0so should act in good faith unon the prin-
ciple Of giving to each man what l. Justly
/ due him, of treating him on his worth as
! man. granting him no special favors but
/ denying him no proper opportunity for labor
/ and the reward Of labor But the peculiar
( circumstances Of the South render the
problem there far greater and far moro
acute.
EQUALITY BEFORE THE LAW
Neither nor any other man can saw that
/ anv given wav Of approaching that prob EN-
/ viii present in our time even an approx
mate!y perfect solution but we can safely
say % al there can never he sch solution
at all rn'ess we approach 1t with the effort
10 do fair and equal Justice among all men,
and 70 demand from them in return just and
fair treatment for others Our effort should
I be TO secure to each man, whatever his
color equa itv of opportunity. equality
& Of treatment before the law. As a people
striving to shape our actions in accordance
/ with the great law of righteousness we can
/ not afford to take part in or be indifferent
to tho oppression or maltreatment OF any
/ man who against crushing dsadva nta ges
has by his own industry. energy, self-re-
spect. and perseverance, struggled up
ward TO a position which would entite him
to the respect OF his fellows, if only his skin
We're Of Il different hue.
Every generous impulse in Us revots
ut the thought of thrustng down instead
Of helping Up such a man. To deny any
man the fair treatment granted 10 others
no better than he is TO commit wrong
uron nina wrong sure to react in tho
long run upon those guilty of such denial.
The only safe principle upon which Amer
leans can act j. that OF all men up" not
that OF some men down" II in any
community the level of intelligence, mo-
raAty and thrift among the colored men
sure that the same level among the whites
will he raised to an even higher degree
and it il no less sure that the de basement
Of the blacks viii in the end carry with IL
an attendant debasement Of the whites
PROBLEM Is TO PROTECT RIoHTs OF BOTH
WHITE AND BLACK
The problem is go to adjust the rela-
tions between two races OF different ethnic
type that the rights of neither be abridged
nor ieoparded; that the backward rnce
10 frafraI 90 that IL into the
possession Of true freedom, while the
forward rnce Ia enabled 10 preserve un-
harmed the high civilization wrought out
by its f0refathers. The working out of
this problem must necessarily be slow; 10
is not possible in oflhand fashion to obtain
or to confer the priceless boons Of freedom,
industrial efficiency, political capacity and
domestic morality. Nor Is II only necessary TO
train the colored man; it is quite as neces-
sary to train the white man, for on his
shoulders rests a well nigh unparalleled
SOCIOLOGICAL responsibility 10 is problem
demanding the best thought the utmost
patience, the most earnest EFFORT, the broad
est charity Of the statesman, the student,
the philanthropist; OF the leaders Of thought
in every department OF our national life.
The church can be most important factor
in solving il Alright. But above all else
need for its successful solution the sober,
kindly, steadfast, unselhsh performance Of
duty by the average plain citizen in his
everyday dealings with his fellows.
Ine idca OF elemental justice meted
out TO every nan is q @ ideal We should
keep ever tefCrc rs. 10 viii lie many
long day before We attain to it, and unless
we show not only devotion 10 it. but also
wisdom and sen-restraint in the exhibition
Of that devotion, we shall defer the time
for its realization still further. In striving
TO attain to 50 much Of II as concerns deal
ing with men Of different colors, we must
remember two things
,.,-ryr .rr-u-r ,pn,-r o,rr rrrc Ou-,, v4rIoH
In the first place. II IS true Of the colored
man It is true Q! the =.3i.s fTSfi. that
the long run his fate must depend far more
upon his own effort than uron tho Efforts
of auy outside friend. Every vicious.
venRl, or ignorant colored man IS an even
greater foe 10 his own race than TO the
community as a whole The colored mans
self-respect entities him to do that share
in the political work Of the country which
Is warranted by his individual ability and
integrity and the position he has WOE for
himself. But theprime requisite of the race
is moral and induSf RE unlifting.
Laziness and shit'lessness, these, and
above all, vice and crminali'y OF every
kind. arc evils more potent for harm to
the black raoe than all acts Of oppression
Of white men put together. The colored
man who fails 10 condemn crime in another
colored man, who fails TO cooperate in all
lawful ways in bringing colored criminals
to justice. Is the worst enemy Of his own
people O well as an enemy TO all the people.
Law-abiding black men should. for the sake
Of their race, he foremost in relentless
and unceasing warfare against break
ing black men. II the standards Of private
morality and industrial efficiency can lie
raised high enough among the black race,
then - iuiufp GA tins con lnent IL secure.
The ability and purity # the home is vital
TO the welfare Of the black race. as it is to the
welfare Of every rncc.
But HIS WHITE SEIGHBoR MUST HELP.
In the next place the whito man. who,
IL only he is willing. can help the colored
man more than a.! Other ~lite men put
together is the white man who Is his neigh
Dor North or south. Each Of US must do
his whole duty without ilinchng. and If
that duty is national il must lie done ia
accordance with the principles above laid
down. But in endeav3ring each to be his
brothers keeper 1t is wise 10 remember
that each can normally do most for the
brother who is his immediate neighbCr.
II we are sincere friends Of the negro let
IA each in his own locality show it by his
action therein, and let Us each show il also
by upholding the hands Of the white man,
in whatever locality. who is striving 70 do
justice 20 the poor and the helpless, 70 be
a shield 10 those whose need for such a
shield is great.
The te2rtiest ACCOMPLISHMENTS are due
% tho ministers o q JUDGES and law officers.
the grand iuries, lie pull lie m n aud the