The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1906-08-07

the ~coIored race was In all things aC-
corded the same treatment a tne
white race tina the colOred man shouNl
ur0duce white mans results.
Nov. l don't doubt your sincerity,
but | question your judgment based
as il Is upon a profound ignorance Of
the colOfed race. You fall into the
blunder Of the idcaIist Of the north
in thinking that the negro j. a bIdck
white man, that his low state is the
result Of his darkened history, aud
that had his opportunities been the
same as that Of his white brother he
would have developed like him. Now
let me say once for all that the best
friend Of the negro has is the southern
white man and that this race ques-
ton. big and troublesome as il is. can
ONLY De solved by those who under
stand it in all its phases. The South
eruer knows the negro, the north
eruer does not. 1t takes time TO solve
any great social problem, but this
question will in time be settled ahd
settled right and that by the sane,
sober thought Of Southern white men
aided by the sane, sober thought OF
coIored leaders typitied by Professor
Washington.
The Earring note in the unsolved
enigma is the effort of sincere but mis-
guided philanthropists Of northern en-
vironment to make a white mar out OF
a negro. The Southern man knows bet
ter. He is not attempting amy such
fool scheme. The man is
trying to make n negro a good negro,
q laW-abiding, useful black citizen.
The better negro he is the more law
abiding, trustworthy citizen he IS,
the more sObriety he develops, the
richer he becomes, the more lntelll-
gence he displays, the better the true
heart Of the South is pleased.
I'VE of the South. to whom the
negro is a condition. not a theory, van
a good negro, not Il bad one. The
South is educating him, aiding his
churches. uplifting his morals. giving
him employment, encourages his prog
ress and if not interfered with by hon
est but ignorant idealists will ultimate
" find the true solution to this VeXed
question in a peaceful way TO the pro
found satisfaction of both white man
n black man.
"The negro race is here, and mere to
stay. The South believes in the par
allel development of the two races and
instead Of throwing obstacles in the
way of the black mans advancement,
is helping all it can.
'"The South is now, always has been
and always will be, opposed to the so
cial intermingling of whites and
blacks. no matter how refined, cul-
uItU ana 1 III Idlboi lIay ot VI
become Why? Because social inter
course leads to marriage, and marriage
of a white to a black. pure or only ting
ed. means lniScegenatiOn and the bar
rierS once broker down, ~inSlduOusly
perhaps at first, might in time grow to
fearful proportions, with the posi-
bility Of the whole American people
becoming a mixed race inferior to a
race of pure whites. This question
~outWeighS all others in the South, so
cial, political or economic. 1t is q
mighty question involving the 1nteG-
rity of the whole white race, the well
fare of millions yet unborn. 1t is not
only a question of today or tomorrow,
but of all tomOrrOWs to the end Of time
Centuriesl hence the generations OF
pure whites Will bless the people of
the South who are today making the
fight for race purity. The all-lmpor-
tant issue then is, "Shall the future
American be a White man or a mulat-
% The danger point is here in the
South. where the two races live side
by side. The South is making its fight
not only for itself, but for all the
Caucasian race. If we should permit
our blood to become corrupted then
We would corrupt your blood and
where would you be then?
so intense is this feeling that there
is not a white man in the South but
who would prefer of the two evils,
that his daughter. sister Of other fe-
male relative should marry the Lowest
white bum" than the highest, most
cultured, moral, and refined negro.
The former would preserve race integ-
rity. the latter would destroy it.
And rightly and sanely looked at
there is nothing in this position de-
grading to the negro race. The negro
should develop race pride as has the
white, the yellow, and even the red
race. He should be as bitterly OPP
posed to the intermarriage of the
races as is the white. The white who
marries a black is Ostracised by his
race. and the black who marries a
white should be oStracised by the ne
groeS. Many thinking colored men
are taking this position and are advo-
eating the preservation of the purity
of the African race.
My friend here broke in and asked:
DO YOU mean to say that the outh-
ern people think more of a low, dis
reputable white man than Of a high
minded, right acting negro? ?" I replied,
There you go again, still making mis-
takes. Nothing | have said implies any
such thing. | have lived a long time in
the South and l believe 1 know these
people better than you or any other
mere sojourner within our gates. I
find them just as sensible, just as sane
and just as reasonable as are the peo-
PIE Oh the NORTH among WIOm L was
born and reared. The Southern white
man likes and respects a good negro.
He dislikes and deSpiSeS a bad white
man. Many warm personal friend
ships exist between individuals Of both
races. The Southern white man en-
ployes his black friend, often Swing
him the preference, aids him in dis
tress, does business with him and for
him, tries his lawsuits, cures his ills,
protects his interest. defends him
against imposition. forgives his short
cOmingS. will fight for him if neces-
Sary. and many of the best white men
in the South have risked their lives
for their black friends.
"NOw. races like individuals are re-
spected and honored in this world for
their achievements. If the negro de-
mands that mankind respect and hon
or his race as the white race is re-
spected and honored, then his race
must prove it's right to that respect
and honor. He has his chance and a
vast stage on which to act, with a
world for an audience. He has a great
a0vaptaVa over his white brOthpr'S on