The Montgomery advertiser., 1906-11-15
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
SOME THOUGHTS
Which May Be Studied With Advantage
 nwv aaK E.h


 Editor Advertiser:
 When Governor Jelks addressed the negroes recently, he did not mince mat ters, but spoke his sentiments boldly and his utterances were distinctly ap- propriate as coming from the chief ex- ecutiye officer of the State. Booker Washington commended the GovernorS g frankness and remarked people are not always so frank. True for you. Washington, and pity 'tis Ptis true. People are seldom candid when, they publicly express themselves on the race problem; press and pulpit, bench and bar.. have fallen into an unfortu- nate habit of using words that conceal or but partly express their sentiments and opinions in regard to this import thy exceptions; we have frank Gov- ernor, at least one honest and fear less judge, and several candid minis ters of the gospel l am constrained to believe, honesty iss the best policy in the matter. as in all others. Above all, let us be honest with ourselves.
 One effect of Booker Washington's schools and others like it, is to put my wife in the kitchen and to force her husband to assume, with what grace he can, the novel role of house hoy. Shall 1 condemn Booker Wash ington for that, when in my heart I believe he is actuated by the laudable' desire to benefit his race, to teach them to be honest, cleanly, self-respect- ing, and independent? It matters not what book learning they get or fail to get at Tuskegee, if Booker Washing ton Is the man his general conduct and public utterances proclaim him, his pupils get inspiration from association with him, and that is the chief end of a college course for black or white. It Is what the student gets at Yale or Harvard, and gets or ralls to get at other colleges, according as they are. ofticered by men of character or by demagogical pedagogues.
 . The spirit or independence instilled at Tuskegee has spread among the race, and negroes of all classes and conditions exhibit growing aversion so, At the present rate of progress iT this direction, there will soon be no more negro servants. What then? Let us be frank. When negroes cease to be servants. their presence will no longer be tolerated in the South.
 The rising generation of negroes is a menace to society. Their parents permit them to be idle and teach them . to be dishonest When one is detected in a misdemeanor, the courts Impose a penalty altogether put of proportion to the gravity of theI offence. No one makes ang effort to reform him, and criminal. White peopIe earnestly en- gagged in beautiful work and spend- ing their money and themselves in missionary efforts to save the native
 
 of the black boy here at home, If he were a white boy however degraded, he might be resuced froh hls parents and from perdition, but by common consent the black boy Is left to his fate Some think he is not worth saving; some that it Is impossible to save him,
 When our Legislature takes up the matter of Q new vagrant law. let them State should feliciate itself upon the reduction of crime than boast Of profits from convicts. If necessary, let the Legislature take from the funds ap- propriated to maintain the numerous inefficient colored schools. many of which are but nurseries of crime, and use the money to establish such re- formatories as the exIgencies of tho
 Some may doubt the feasibility of such a project, may take the position the means and methods uesd to re- claim delinquent white boys will not Is so constituted that he would not re- spond to acts of kindness.
 One of the most conspicuous traits of the negroes character Is that he bors revenge He remembers a good turn only because it raises the ex- pectation of another favor from the same source. When ne is smitten on one cheek, he turns the other also The same negro that robs your hen foost may safely be trusted to carry hundred dollars to the bank for YOU The dog-like fidelity of the race to a specific trust was amply Illustrated during the civil war, and continued largely to the support and safety of our women and children. - A bundle of contradictions though he be, do these trails of character make his reclamation impossible? I am con vinced they do not; on the contrary. believe the negro race is the most ductile of all the races We have not tried to leads him; we have fail- ed to accomplish by brute force, hy a policy of repression Jet us not despaIr Of attaining by gentler, kinder, and up-to- date humane methods.
 ;s 2 ~
 Park Ways and Play Grounds. Editor The Advertiser:
 The Park Commission has been greatly encouraged by approval ex- pressed to them by fellow citizens There seems to be a general wish in the community for the things the Commission is striving to plan for. This is indeed hopeful An American community generally gets what 1t really wants,
 The Commission will welcome dn- nations, bequests, devises, deeds of ded- ication. gifts of land. rights of way