Lexington gazette. [volume] (Lexington, Va.) 1871-1962, 1906-10-17
THREE VIEWS OF THE RACE
QUESTION

THREE VIEWS OF THE KACl
QUESTION
The people of the South wer
surprined and are justly resentfr
at the attitude of Oswald Garriso
Willard. editor of the New Yor
Evening Post, on the race question
in the South, az expressed In
speech last week in New York be
fore the Afro-American Council
Mr.. Willard is reported to hav
said that "such mer ss Hok
Smith, John Temple Graves
Vardaman and Tillman ougb
never to be able to obtain any
service from a colored man" HI
also declared that in his opinion
no negro should think of contribut
ing as much as one cent to TIT
support Of the snti.negro news
papers in Georgia. He urged thu
negro to organize, to band to-
gether for HE defense and to fgnt
for bic rights.
1.-THE time is ripe for serving
notice on the country" he assert
ed, "that further efforts in any
section of the land to degrade the
negro to a sersile position, tt
create that impossible thing-s
republic with millions of persons
taxed, but not represented-shall
be fought from now on. Leave the
numbering in cold blood to the
race that proudly calls itself the
superior, the better civilized"
In contrast with this intemper'
ate, not to say inaammatory, SEN
timent, are the words of Booker
T. Washington, leader among the
most distinguished of his race. His
address, made later before the same
association, was CT q character to
rebuke the unwise statements of
Mr.. Willard. He said:
ITO the members OF my race who
reside In the Northern States, let me
utter the caution that in your enthus-
iastic desire to be of service to your
brethren In the South you do not make
their path more thorny and difficult by
rash and incorporate utterances. Be-
fore giving advice to the negro in the
South the negro in the North should
be very sure that what he advises is
that which he himself would be willing
to take into the heart Of the South and
put into practice. Be careful not to
assist In lighting fire which you will
have no ability to put out.
"Soms may think that the problems
with which we are graphing will be
better solved by inducing millions OF
our people to leave the South for resi-
dence in the North, but l warn you
that instead Of this being solution. it
will but add to the complications OF the
problem"
The Christian Advocate of Nash
vile, Tenn, organ of the Metho-
dist Episcopal Church, South, has
the following to say on the lesson
of the tragedy In Atlanta. which
is in strong contrast to Mr.. VIII
lard's views:
"a very small percentage Of them
(negroes) are criminal idlers, but 1t Is
this small class alone which furnishes
the criminals, more especially the
perpetrators of thar particular form of
bestial savagery which rouses the blood
of the calmest white man to fury and
makes even o lsw-ablding, Christian
citizen almost an spologist Of swift
vengeance.
"Let the decent whites and the self
respecting negi oes-two classes who
think quite kindly Of each other, despite
all ISLANDERS and Misunderstanding
band together to put down with
hand these disgraceful out
breaks which dishonor both races. The
black rapist should have as little
tolerance among decent negroes as the
white lyncher has among law-abiding
white people"