The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1906-11-07
The South and the Negro.


tor Foraker made some remarks on
the present phase Of the negro ques-
ton. It would have been difficult for
any Northern speaker in Mr.. Fora
ker,s place-it was clearly impossible
for him-to refrain from animadvert-
ing on the brutality Of the solution
which had been offered by Senator
Tillman. Without naming that ora
tor. Senator Foraker denounced the
notion of deporting the blacks as
both chin,erical and undesirable, and
added. especially to Senator Tillman's
address:
4The thought of exterminating him
is a thousand times worse, and mere
4a1k about It, no matter how idle It
NAV be. is a shocking moral crime"
Senator Foraker's remarks were
doubtless well meant. But they seem
10 have been rather extensively Ill ia
ken. The tendency Of his discourses
was to put the responsibility for ra-
eial disturbances in the South almost
exclusively upon the whites. me
whites, or many of them, resent TINS.
And doubtless they resent 1t the more
as coming from a Northern man. IN
ruth they are especially sensitive
ssout being lectured by Northerners
mon what they regard as an eN-
.ol,,siyelv Southern question, with
wf9fca they are much more com
.pete.lt to deal than a stranger.
There has since been in Chatta-
nooga the Conference Of the African
Methodist Episcopal Zion Church
vhsch has been signahzed by re-
bort from the Committee on the
4ate of the Country 1t is the au-
,fhent;c diagnosis Of the race troubles
in the South made by a number OF
leaders of the colored race. The first
cause assigned by the committee for
the increase of crime among their
race is the dislocation Of Southern
sndustries caused by the war. The
great works undertaken in the
reconstruction Of the South IN
a7e way of railroading and mining
attracted large bands Of negroes from
their plantations, and accustomed the
workers to a rowing life. A great
proportion of them became vaga-
bonds and tramps. "From this class,
saws the committee, come cur rap
lists. u1urderers, and other vile char
acters.' The increase Of crime is due
in the second place to- ''the fact that
since emancipation parents lave
failed to train their children in habits
.of obedience, honesty, truthfQlness and
INDUSTRY The negro ministers are.
also accused Of appealing more to the
emotions than 70 the conscience and
-.,.-e failed 30 irc4lc2te the doctrine
that the Christian religion and NOR
atty go hand in hand"
With regard to the remedy the
committee is equally outspoken. II
,,,rcins its resolutions with denunci-
alton Of crime of every kind or degree
and .1ooks with inexpressible abhor-
renee and loathing upon assaults up
on women adding that mo legal
nlla;shment of the brutal crime can
be 700 severe and speedy 1t goes
on equally to denounce ''nlob vio-
ie.ca' as subversive of society. 1t
promises to assist the civil authori-
ties in bringing to justice criminals
,.5G tae colored race, praises the South
erD Governors who have endeavored
to maintain the reign Of law and to
r,retect prisoners and concludes by
aeter. .oring and deprecating any MI
Gratlon to the North Of the negroes
OF ne South. ''In this critical period
OF t;2e negro's history we need every
scous.rving moral and religious in
aceace here il the South, where the
fate of the negro in this country Is
:lnasiy to be determined"
:. IS true that the report was Mt
aS.o9-ed, the Conference being p.'--
-s!b3y 81 the opinion thar It assumed
+. heir race too :ars. share Of
The i.lame for whatever is an1iss N
tie 1elations of the races. But it 5
a. auspicious sign that such a. repo.t
.sa..u 4 have beer prepared and sub
.<ccitted by men whose leadership Of
:!,cir own race is not disputed. The
e(...a..arooga Times donbtiess v'ic"s
the General sentiment Of its section
IN lying that "the South will ap-
I,aua the cln,l"r and trcta aad
zcec.1t some. con,moa sense that MIX
-+ac oaper.'-New York Times.
.Need a good cathartic? A pill is
sost. Say a pill like DeWitt's Little