The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1906-11-16

NASHVILLE, Ienn-, november lZ--lna
second annual session of the Southern
Immigration and Quarantine Confer
ence was called to order today at the
capitol. The purpose of the conference
is to bring about a more equitable
distribution of the immigrants who
reach the United States from foreign
shores. The idle negro class causes
some apprehension in the minds of i'm
migrants according to those believed
to be we'll informed, and this operates
against the south receiving wha. il
thinks is its proper share of laborer3
from abroad. Various plans are sug.
gested for Kidding the south of idle
negroes and the race question therefore
was early injected into the discussion.
Governor Cox; who is permanent
chairman of the conference, called the
delegates to order and welcomed the
delegates. In touching on the negro
question Governor Cox said:
The problem must be settled by the
south, but the aid and sympathy Of the
north is essential. If they will not
help u.s. continued the governor. "If
they will not repeal the 14th and 18th
amendments to the constitution then
let us here resolve that we will write
in the fundamental law Of every south
ern state, a guarantee to the negro,
for the protection of life, liberty and
the pursuit of happiness, but forever
denying to the vicious and ignorant
all political rights" (applause.)
Governor D.. c. Hayward, of South
Carolina, delivered an address in which
he said the coming of emigrants to the
south had a bearing upon the prac-
tical and direct solution of the race
problem. There had been too much
theorizing, it was time for action. He
said:
without a precedent in the history
of the world to be guided by. nearly
always misconstrued and misunder-
stood the people of the south have for
forty years sought to reconcile differ
ences which were bound to arise be-
tween two races living upon the soil.
The races differ widely in intelligence
and moral responsibility, one being lis
tinctly inferior to the other. Only till
a few years ago, the inferior race was
in servitude to the superior, and, with
no preparation whatever, was given
equal civil and political rights under
the constitution.
Under such adverse circumstances
no other people upon this earth could
have succeeded as we'll as the southern
people have done in meeting existing
conditions, and this fact alone should
not only give us courage and hope ior
the future but should entitle US to trust
and confidence of the world.
Sectional feeling fortunately is pass
Ing away and our people understand
each other better. Problems which we're
at one time peculiarly southern are
becoming national. We Americans are
| more and more mutually carrying the
white mans burden. We nave beer
seeking for some time to make some
/ change in political and economic
/ system which will affect the ncgrc
| alone and which will, at the same time
! aid in solving our problem.
"The white race is the predominant
| race and the negro must understand
once for all hat the bounds of the
| social and political questions will bt
determined by the white man alone
| by the white mans code. He has :
! right to expect that his civil statu.
| should be the same in every respect
| as is that of the white man. A proper
understanding OF these fundamental
| principles by the negro-and there !:
no reason why he should not under
| stand-would be a long step In The
| right direction. If he refuses to adjus
| himself to these iniexible conditions
| then the negro will have to go.
81 do not think" said the governor
[ chat conditions which are the result
| of years can be changed in a day b,
| the adoption of any rule or the enact
| ment of any special legislation. Tx
| solve the race question will require no
| only time but patience and judgment
| on the part of the negro, it will cal
| for the exercise of more common ssnst
and a far greater appreciation OF hi
| moral responsibility.
Governor Hayward enumerated tn
| solutions of the problem which hat
| been suggested and tried from time Il
| time to and all of which had failed.
! In speaking of the plan to deporr til
| negroes he said deportation could no
| &c attempted unless it became A IA
sonal and not a southern movement
| Such a move, he said, would not be At
.ampted until the negro problem
otter understood and nor a
he north than 1t is now.
I'm the course of time" be continued
the negro, who is now rapidly in