The Brandon news. (Brandon, Miss.) 1892-1961, 1905-08-31
NORTHERN ADVICE
TO BOOKER I.
Indianapolis, Ind, News Gives the
Alabama Educator Some
Wholesome Advice.

l
News: The episode Of Booker Wash
ington dining with John Wanamaker
at Saratoga hotel is, it seems to us,
worth serious examination. We ore
impressed with the sanity and sobri-
ETY. of comment by southern newspa-
pers. Y II
1t seems to us that these views have
force. Professor Washington is not a
mere man in private life whose ac-
tions are without influence. He is
the leader of his race. He is at the
head of great institution at the
south, where the race question bris.
ties with trouble. 1t is an institution
dependent on the good will of the
people and on their money voluntarily
Igiven for its success; and, however
great the amount Of that money, de-
pendent also on the kindly feeling Of
the section. Tuskegee will become q
curse instead of a blessing if it arous-
es the bitter hatred of the southern
Ipeople. So, as the constitution says,
everything depends on the tact of Mr..
Washington. He knows better than
we can tell him that there can be no
lsocial union Of the white and black
races. A hundred generate ons hence
conditions may be such that the hun
dredth generation will deal with the
question differently. For the present
it is not possible even for Mr.. Wash
ington to meet and mingle with white
people as one of them.
| The question arises here, ought he
not have too much pride to be willing
to benefit by exceptions? What does
he accomplish by it? Is it any trib-
ute to him that now and then q
white man will grant him limited
social equality? Ought he not to
meet it with scorn aud say: "All or
lnothing?" Or better still say: II
will not associate with you socially
because one bane and curse Of this
time in my race development is an i'm
mortality that such association
usually means and the first step toward
inculcating strength of character in
my people is that they shall refuse all
social intercourse with white people. :"
For Washington must know that if he
could inspire his people with a feel
ing that would make them resent all
social intercourse with the whites and
would confine that intercourse rigidly
to business relations, he would take
| the longest step possible toward an
establishment of race morality.
The other phase of his willingness
to accept sporadic examples of brief
social equality with whites, is that
which the papers we have quoted cite.
1t reacts on the ignorant millions Of
blacks who are thereby melted to So
cial efforts that mean confusion.
Aesop has fable of great land own
er that had lap dog which was wont
to sport in his lap and be fed with
dainties from his table every day
The hard working ass, seeing this,
reasoned that if he too, would show
himself gay and affectionate, he
would be likewise used; so he broke
from his stable one day, dashed into
the dining room, paved the table and
endeavored to sit in his masters lap.
The eternal value of Aesop in his
| nnrannia1 ppIicohi1itv
i In the greatest kinoness and with
a sympathy that knows no exception.
and so far as we are aware, without
the slightest predjuice, it seems to Us
that Mr.. Washington is weakening his
influence by accepting social consider
alton from white people. It would
be better for him to say: II have
done mans work in the world, and
propose to carry it like man.
Favors are not wanted. Condescen-
sion is resented. I know that there
can be no social equality between my
people and yours, and I hope to
arouse such feeling of pride and
emulation in mp people that they will
accept none Of it, but will make of
themselves such factors in the state
that they will be entreated, not suf-
| fered. =
| Such things his attitude ought to
speak. Otherwise he lessons his own
influence which is q small thing, the
world will get on without bim, as it
will without any man-but what is
serious, he excites in the ignorant of
his race feelings similar to that Of the
ass that thought he coIld be lapdog.
The beginning of all things for the
negro race is pride. He is ON the
way to be man among men when he
can say, as Shylock when invited by
the GENTLE Bassanio, who wanted to
use him, to dine with him said:
4 will buy with you, sell with
lyou. talk with you, walk with you