The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1906-05-04
RecrudeScence of
Southern Reconstruction.

S~S 0S0 A~ ASSsNNS VA -AS
South were placed upon the broad way
that leadeth TO destruction. Policies
then essayed would have placed f.
600, 900 blacks just emerged from bon
DANCE in dominance over 5000, 900
whites. Failure of the policies is writ
ten in the history Of reconstruction in
the South. Though they failed, the
spirit Of the policies survived and that
spirit is in 1906 just as determined as
ii was in 1866. Its policies whatever
their purpose and however high-minded
their intent would place 49, 900, 900 Sou-
thern whites in subsection TO 5000. coo
negroes.
Then, amid the passions aroused bJ
war, the spirit used the armed power
of the United States government and
the hostile feeling OF the victorious
North for the Africanization of the
South, in defeat and affection solid,
against ever friendly suggestion from
outside. Now, in the face of san pub
lie opinion throughout the country and
in the midst Of fraternalism Of the
sections never before equalled, il
moves toward the same end with
philanthropy as its shibboleth in the
use Of money among Southern whites,
but depending ultimately upon the
treasury Of the United States govern
ment for its main ammunition. 1t
seems to think that Doodle may win
where bayonets failed, and the educa-
+innnl Sol1 la --a piCm no 1nualnnaI
as a more effective ally than was polit-
ical ~scalawagism.
It misjudges The South, but less it
do the negroes greater damage than
it did a generation ago, whites of the
whole country should understand i
and act upon the emergency.
The nursery of this revival of the
reconstruction program is what is
known as the Ogden Movement, with
its advertising agency, the Conference
for Education in the South, its cam
paigner, the Southern Educational
Board, and it's financial agent, the
General Educational Board of New
York, a fanaticism honest in its con-
Visions and in its purposes, as all
fanaticism must be, questionable in its
methods and unquestionable as a men
ace to the integrity of the white race
and to the peace of the country.
No one breads the outcome for the
whites and for the blacks if the South
be permitted to work out it's own
salvation in adjusting the relations Of
the races. The outcome will be advan-
tageOus to both. What the South IA
doing in this particular from it's pow
erty and in it's limited experience in
the nineteenth century is a guarantee
Of what from it's wealth and in its
wider knowledge it will do in the
twentieth century, provided meddlerS
are muZzled.
No one can mistake the outcome for
the whites and for the blacks if the
latest and the most specious form
of meddling is permitted to assume
! greater proportions than is it's at this
moment. The outcome will be disas-
trous, especially for the negroes.
This meddling is concentrated in
Ogdenism and even Ogdenism is be-
ginning to perceive the pernicious re-
suits, though without ability to
| appreciate their significance. Instead
of recognizing it's own children,
it thinks that it has occasion
for more strenuous exertion. The re-
velation was made in connection with
this years climax of Ogdenism at
Tuskegee last month. The chrOnicler
! unwittingly and not with entire ccur-
acy let it out in correspondence from
ITuskegee for the Springfield (Mass.)
Republican. He wrote:
From the practically unvarying
| answers of many men whose opinions
have been sought within the last few
| days, it seems clear that the sentiment
| Of the South as a whole has been grow
ing distinctly less favorable to the
| negro and negro education. There has
| been a studied absence of allusion to
this unfortunate fact in nearly all the
| speeches delivered here at Tuskegee.
! 1t is obviously the part of wisdom for
| the negro leaders and their white
| friends not to lay too much emphasis
! upon it in public statements in the
| South"
The correspondent alludes to the re-
| vival here and there of the movement
| for a division of school appropriation
according to taxes paid by the two
| races, respectively, as being something
| which only a year or two ago it was
| believed would never be heard from
| again and says:
st is felt by the negro education
| leaders that the reprojection of the
| issue into politics is wholly unfortu
nate. Some Southern men say frankly
| that the present trend of Southern
| opinion as a whole is increasingly hos
| tile to the negro; that the South would
! prefer to see the negro evert as
] nearly as possible TO his position in
! slavery days"
Sentiment of the South is growing
| distinctly less favorable, not to negro
| education, but to negro miseducation.
For that growth Ogdenism is responsi-
| BILE. 1t has intensified the miseduca-
| ton. Southern opinion is increasing
| ly hostile, not to the negro, but to in
fiYences that would demoralize the
| already demOralized negro, of which
! Ogdenism is chief. Is Ogdenism con-
tent to acknowledge its mistake and
to withdraw? Did its patron saint,
| William LlOyd Garrison, ever acknOwI