The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1906-10-17
SEEING THE LIGHT.
A Northern Editors Views of the
. Race Problem In the South.

In the Bellnlan, weekly magazine
published in Minneapolis, the sub
joined editorial appeared September
%. It is such a clear cut dispas-
sionate and common sense analysis Of
the negro problem, tnat we FEEL that
it is worthy Of reproduction for the
purpose of showing that the northern
people are at least beginning to see
the light:
The fearful occurrences in Atlanta,
Ca, which have horrifed readers Of
the daily press may well give us of
the North shock. We deserve it
and we need it to awaken US to
Relation of our responsibilities to
our brethren of the South. A race
war, undertaken on the part OF the
whites in sacred defense Of their
homes, or an unlawful outbreak in
which the innocent and guilty Of one
race were alike sacrificed to the mad
dened vengeance Of another; con-
slider it either way, as you will; de-
nounce it or excuse it; find palliation
in the greatest of provocations hui
manly can know or condemn the
perpetrators as outrageous law break
ers, you cannot avoid the awful fact
that the condition which is. respon-
sible for it exists.and must be reckon
ed with.
This dreadful problem presses for
a permanent solution. The con-
clusion of the rebellion demonstrated
once and for all that this was a Ma
ton. Being such, its component
parts must share responsibility for
the maintenance Of order and justice
within its borders. IF the protection
of women is not the supreme duty
of the American citizen, Mherher he
lives north or south Of Mason and
Dxon's line, then our country no
longer deserves to rank among civil
Iized nations. If it is, then it is time
that the citizen Of the North ceased
to. consider the problem of the South
as an academic question to be discuss
ed calmly and regretfully at a safe
distance from the scene Of horror!
and shame. It is his duty to come
forward. manfully, and acknowlepgeI
his share Of the blame and assume
his part of the burden.
The North is even more responsible
for this overshadowing horror than
the South. Let it face the facts as
they are and cease this sloppy, SEN
tinnental talk about the elevation OF
the negro race and the need of self
control on. the part Of the southern
Caucasian. Ethical considerations,
fine spun theories, philanthropical de-
vices for a gradual elevation Of the
negro are not entitled to a moments
consideration when it is true that no
white woman living in the South is
safe for moment unless guarded by
the gun.
The North freed these negroes. 1t
elevated them to citizenship and pro
claimed them the possessors of equal
rights with the whies. Previous to
the war, slavery, accused though it
was, held them in subsection and re-
strained the brutes among them. and
they were many, from violence. Care
less of consequences, the North let
them loose and encouraged them to
believe themselves equal in every
thing TO their former masters. After
brief interregnum of carpet-bag
government, the conquerors retired to
their safe, pure, protected homes,
secure in the knowledge that the law
was amply strong to protect them
from assault and their women from
dishonor. They washed their hands
of responsibility; they left to the
Impoverished, defeated, disheartened
South the task Of making the newly
freed worthy Of citizenship.
Since then the North has contrib
uted largely of money to educate the
negro. It has sent northern teachers,
devoted, self-sacrifcing, well-mean-
ing persons, full of zeal to lift the
once oppressed race to a higher
plane. It has sympathized with ana
supported every scheme devised TO
benefit the negro and has lauoed TO
the highest skies every effort to Gre
ate in him social, political and fnan-
cial aspirations. To the protests OF
the white men OF tae South who knew
the negro and had to live with him.
that the methods chosen were wrong
and mischivous and would surely re-
suit in disaster, the people Of ti1>,,
North turned deaf ear.