Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1906-10-06
"THE TRAGEDY OF COLOR

i NllltiaNl writer's IN lAlS MNtle To-Day
who is The author of The War OF
the Worlds has been contributing
. a series of articles go Harper's week
Iy. The title OF his dissertation on
the Negro question is The Tragedy
OF Color" We cited extracts from
80 in our issue of Sept Esd. 1906.
In continuing mis- remarks on the
lynching of three innocent colored
men at Springfield Mo. he says:
tt is true that in this latter case
Governor Folk acted with vigor and
Justice and tlat the better element
of Springfield society was evidently
shocked when 10 was found thar
quite innocent Negroes had been
useI iu these instructive pvr0tech-
MICS bat the fact remains that a
| large and numerically important
/ section of the American public does
/ think that fierce and cruel repris-
ais are "a necessary part of the sys-
tenn of relationships between white
aud coiore1 man. I'm our dispersed
British community we have almost
/ exactly the same range between our
/ better attitudes and our worse m
making no claim of national super
FORTY I'm London perhaps. we OUT
/ iO Massachusetts iu lheraltv. en-
I the National Liberal Club or the
Reform "a black man meets AN the
Courtesies of humanity though
there was mo- such thing as color.
But. ou the other hand rhe Cape
won bear lookinc into for q moo
meuL The same conditions give
the same results. half-eiucated
white population of British 0r Dutch
or German ingredients Ereed- FOR
gain. iH controlled and fee5}- !a
Huenccd iu contact with "a black
population BIS bound 90 reproduce
the same brutal and stupid agrees
s.ous the same half-houest preju
dices to Justify those aggressions.
the same ugly. mean excuses.
Barbadoes. said J.. iu o. moment OF
patriotic weakness 90 ar. Booker r.
Washington.
"Eh," said De. and thought in
chat long silent way Doc has........
They're worse in South Africa
muck. Here we've rot O. sort OF
Hghf We know generally what
we've got 90 stand There"
His words sent my memory back
Zoo some conversations 7 had quite
recently with "a man from a dry
rtods store in JohgnncsburE. He
gave me clearly enough the attitude
0f rhe common white ont there. the
dun prejudice. the readiness to take
advantage OF the "boy.' the utter
disresucct for colorcd womankina
the savage. iutolcrant resentment
dashed dangerously with fear. when
The native raises his head. CThink
of an that must have happened i'm
wrongful practice and wrongful law
and neglected educational possibil-
titles before orr Zulus in Natal We're
coadel to face massacre. spear az
rainst rihe') The rare ana culmi-
uatug result Of education and exc
perience is 90 enable men 20 grasp
facts. 20 balance Justly among their
I fuctuating and innumerable aspects
and only "a small minority ln oar
world is educated 20 that pitch. Ig
norout people can think only in
/ tvfes and distractions. can achieve
only emphatic absolute decisions.
ana when the commonplace Ameri-
/ can or the commonplace colonial
| Briton SETS 90 work 90 "think over"
/ the Negro problem he instantly ban
| ishes most OF the material evi lence
/ from his mind-clears FOR action.
as 10 were He forgets the genial
I carriage OF the ordinary colored man
/ his beaming face. his kindly eve. his
rich. jolly voice his touching and
| trusted friendliness. his amiable. I'M
preludiccd readiness 10 serve and
4 follow q white man who seems TO
know what he is doing. He forgets
perhaps he has never seen-the
dear humanity OF these people.
their slightly exaggerated vanity.
their innocent and delightful love
4 OF color and song. their immense ca
pacity for affection. the warm ro-
mantle touch in their imaginatiOns,
He ignores the real fneness of the
1 Incidence that despises servile toll.
/ OF the carelessness that dis iains the
watchfui aggressive economies. dav
| by day. now wretcheI little gain
! here and now q wretched little gain
there. that make the dirty fortune
/ OF the Russian Jews who prey upon
/ color In the Carolinas. 30. in the
! place Of all these amiable everyday
| experiences he lets his imagination
! go 20 work upon monster. the
real niger"
What a magnificent description,
What a vivid pen-picture and in it
all this scholarly writer diplomat
cally criticises the English in South
/ Africa as much so as he does the
Americans in the United States, so
: far as their attitude relates 20 TIE
races of darker hue. He says
! further:
AN You don't know the real
I niger" said one American 10 me
when / praised the colOred people I
had seen. You should see the buck
niger down South. Congo brand.
: Then you'd understand. sir"
His voice. his face had a CLEAN
of passionate animosity.
One could see he had been brood
ing himself out CT all relations 10
| reality in this matter. He was n
| man Devond reason or pity. He ==@s
. obsessed. Hatred OF that imagin-
v