Omaha daily bee., 1906-02-25

Williams, Ruth McEnery Stuart and others
have contributed to the literature on the
topic. and each has done a large share
to supplement the cold facts as preserved
by history, Illuminating them by adding
a tinge Of human interest to them Mr..
Dixon is not a pioneer on the way he has
chosen. His methods, though, are unique.
Like most extremists, Mr.. Dixon asks too
much, and quite often overlooks the beam
in his own eye in his contemplation Of the
mote he has detected in the eye of his
brother. His work, and those Of his kind.
is quite effectually Offset by the work of
Bishop Turner and those of his ilk. The
difficulty is that between them the work OF
genuine friends Of humanity are hampered
and in a large way nullifed Booker Wash
ington, who is admittedly the greatest of
negroes, has advised the colored man to
learn to respect himself. He has sought to
instill this doctrine into those with whom
he has come into contact, and some close
observers profess to see encouragement in
the results he has obtained. other teachers
are following in Mr.. Washington's way.
although not all with his tact and wisdom,
but the effort is appreciate and is surely
better directed than the efforts OF Revs
Dixon and Turner, one white and the other
black. and each seeking to array his race
against the other.
The question of social equality has set
tied itself, both north and south. MiscegS
enation is forbidden by law in a majority
Of the states, and is so little practiced in
those states that do permit mix ed marriages
that it does not deserve serious considera-
ton. only the lowest OF minds can con-
template il with any degree of equanimity
and only degraded natures will seek IT,
Marriage between white and black will
hardly be soberly set forth as a solution OF
the race problem; an unfortunate condition
for which the negro is in no wise response
BILE has led to a considerable admixture OF
white and black blood in the social fabric,
but the circumstances that have made this
possible are such as will vanish with a
more general spread Of enlightenment and
consequent stiffening Of moral fiber among
the blacks. Education is the great remedy
for this condition.
The gravest question concerning the
negro at present is his Industrial status.
From the day the first shipload was sold
at jamestown, something longer ago than
two and half centuries, he has been a
menace in that his labor has been servile.
The cry for the freedom Of the slaves was
not n new one when 1t broke out in the
middle of the last century, for II was raised
before and during the Revolution. when the
American colonies rebelled against King
George III So good and great a man as
Thomas Jefferson wrote and spoke against
the institution and proposed measures for
its extirpation. But the south had need of
the slave labor Virginia needed slaves to
cultivate the great plantations that grew
up with the institution. and as the other
states of the south were developed the same
need for class OF servile labor was found
by the great planters. In a measure this
need exists today. and while the negro is
no longer a slave, he is hardly higher in
the scale than II he were one so far as his
labor is concerned
In the comfortable relation that existed
between owner and slave the labor prob
lem was never considered in it's present
manifestation. 1t had only one side, and
was adjusted by the purchase of additional
workers whenever the case required such
action. With emancipation this phase of
the question was given an entirely differ
ent aspect, and the master became an en-
ployer. He found that the natural ire
sponsibilty of the negro had been ac-
centuated by the life he had led as a slave,
when his thinking was done for him, and
h, also found that the ignorance in which
the slave had been kept had untitled him
in every way for the assumption OF even
the rudimentary cares and duties imposed
by individual liberty The stupendous
task of making citizens out OF densely ig-
norant and totally irresponsible men and
women was set before the south. and has