The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1905-02-14

what it should be and there is need
that the north also should act in good
faith upon the principle of giving to
each man what is justly due him, of
treating him on his worth as a man,
granting him no special favors. but de-
ny1ng him no proper opportunity for Ia
Dor and the reward of labor. But the
peculiar circumstances of the south
render the problem there far greater
and far more acute.
Neither nor any other man can say
that any given way of approaching that
problem will present in our time even
an approximately perfect solution, but
we can safely say that there can never
be such solution at all unless we APP
proach 1t with the effort to do fair and
equal justice among all men; and to
demand from them in return Just and
fair treatment for others. Our effort
should be to secure to each man. what
ever his color. equality of opportunity
equality OF treatment before the law
AS a people striving to shape our ac-
tons in accordance with the great law
of righteousness we can not afford to
take part in or be Indifferent to the
oppression or maltreatrnent of anv who
against crushing Disadvantages, has by
his own industry, energy, self-reSpect,
and perseverance struggled upward to
a position which would entitle him to
the respect of his fellows if only his
skin were of a different hue
Every generous impulse in us revolts
at the thought of thrusting down in
stead of helping up such a man. To
deny any man the fair treatment
granted to others no better than he is
to commit a wrong upon him-a wrong
sure to react in the long run upon those
guilty Of such denial. The only safe
principle upon which Americans can
act is that of fal men up not that
of some men down." If in any COM
munity the level of intelligence, morali-
ty, and thrift among the colored men
can be raised, it is, humanity speaking,
sure that the same level among the
whites will be raised to an even higher
degree; and it is no less sure that the
debasement of the blacks will in the
end carry with it an attendant debase-
ment of the whites.
The problem is so to adjust the re-
lauonS between two races of different
pc abridged nor jeOparded; that the
backward race be trained so that It'll
may enter into the possession of true
freedom, while the forward race is
enabled to preserve unframed the
nigh civilization wrought out by its
forefathers. The working out of this
problem must necessarily be slow; it
is not possible in offhand fashion to
obtain or to confer the priceless boonS
OF freedom, industrial efficiency, pO-
litical capacity, and domestic morality.
Nor is it only necessary to train the
colored man; it is quite as necessary
to train the white man. for on his
shoulders rests a Well-nigh unparal-
leled sociological responsibility. 1t is
a problem demanding the best
thought, the utmost patience, the
most earnest effort, the broadest char
ity, of the statesman, the student, tn e
thought in every department of our
life. The church can be a
most important factor in solving it
Alright. But above all else we need for
its successful solution the sober. kind
", steadfast, unself1sh performance of
duty by the average plain citizen in !
his everyday dealings with his fellows.
The ideal of elemental Justice melted
out to every man is the ideal we
should keep ever before us. 1t will be
many a long day before we attain to
it, and unless we show not only devo- |
ton to it. but also wisdom and self
restraint in the exhibition of that de- |
votion. we shall defer the time for its
realization still further. In striving to
attain to so much of it as concerns |
dealing with men of different cOlors, |
we must Remember two things.
In the first place, it is true of the |
colored man. as it is true of the white
man, that in the long run his fate
must depend far more upon his own /
effort than upon the efforts of any
outside friend. Every vicious Venal, /
greater foe to his own race than to
the community as a whole. The color |
ed mans self-respect entities him to
do that share in the political work of
Individual ability and integrity and the
position he has won for himself. But
the prime requisite of the race is
moral and industrial uplifting.
Laziness and shiftlessness. these, and
above all, vice and criminality of |
every kind, are evils more potent for
harm to the black race than all acts
Of oppression of white men put to-
gether. The colored man who fails
to condemn crime in another colored
man, who fails to cooperate in all
lawful ways in bringing colored GRIM
mails to justice, is the worst enemy of
his own people, as we'll as an enemy
to a / the people Law-abiding black
men should. for the sake of their race,
be foremost in relentless and unceas-
ng warfare against law-breaking
black men. If the standards of private
and industrial efficiency can
be raised high enough among the
black race. then its future on this con-
inent is secure. The stability and
purity of the home is vital to the well
are of the black race as it is to the
Welfare of every race.
In the next place the white man,
Who if only he is willing. can help the
.olored man more than all other white
nen put together is the white man
Who is his neighbor. north or south.
each of US must do his whole duty