Martinsburg statesman. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1869-1906, 1906-06-29
rhs N.ero /. 4. .sa % x, &c.

the w hiie y lie INTO Central Area. I
or rs observations and conclusions as
10 tile African people, he writes IN the
Cent -ry Magazine FIR May, paper
with The title Reflex Light Fr ,nl
Africa 1t isa paper that Will receive
attention we have no doubt, and he
read with surprise 10y many Ia Mass.
achusetts and throughout the north Of
this country. six miles from kharloum
the centre Of British authority Ia the
Soudan, he found ON durmsn, SIN,
largest native cit Y of stationary. bar
barous, continent, Aud from there
on to Gongokoro he followed the trail
of Sir Samuel Baker, and followed
Bakers experiences aud impressions
Of the land and the people. Mir Adams
says,
Looking about me among Africans
in Africa, far removed from that Am
eriesn environment to which ] have
been accustomed, the scales fell from
my eyes. | found myself most I'M
pressed by realizing sense a. the APP
palling amount of error and cant in
which we of the United States have in
du'ged on this topic, actually wal
lowed in bog Of self sufficient gnor.
ance, especially we philanthropisls and
theorists of New England. We DO so
still. Having eyes we will not see.
Even now we not infrequently hear
the successor to the Rbolitionists and
humanitarlans of the antc-civil war
perIod-The Uncle Tom period-ap-
nounce that the difference between
the white man and the black man is
much less considerable than Is ordin,r-
ly supposed, and that the only real OBJ
stacle in the negro's way is that he
has ever been given chance. For N.Y.
self, after visiting the black man in bis
own home come back with o decided
impression that this is the sheerest de-
fusion, due to pure ignorance of fun da-
mental facts; yet we built upon it in
reconstruction days as upon founda-
iion stone--a seize ident truthip
Mr.. Adams saw t African native
as he is at Omduruan and Gongokoro,
places in k ind from Soudan, for ex-
ample by "a difference that does not
admit OF measurement" Tie African
he finds has no Inherent power of de-
velopment. He has never invented
nor letters, nor mum bers
nor tolls, nor harmony, nor arts, nor
architecture. He has never voluntari-
~ adopted anything out rum and fire
arms. lie is aboV the brute only in
the use OF few weapons, of fire, and
OF beginnings of language. In no in
stance has he esinced other than re-
trogres ION when freed from restraint.
lie agrees with Samuel BAKER in this.
80 long as II Is considered that The
negro and the White man are to be
governed by the same laws and gaid-
ed by the same management, SO long
VIII the former remain a thorn in the
side Of every community TO which he
may unhappily belong"
He does not see that the negroes in
America az race can be kept from re-
turning to the lowest barbsrisfn ex-
cept by the influence, physical or NOR
al, of the white race. The only hope
for them, of any uplift of any kind, is
in restraint that obliges to industry,
morality and obedience to law.
The paper comes as near being an
argument for the domestic slavery in
the American states rs il could be
VI thout mentioning the word, The
purpose Is, however, not to diseuss the
past, but to bring light TO the prob
lem of the present day. Mr.. Adams,
forone,c SITS off the present day notions
OF the New England theorists, and hui
manitarians, with distant treatment,
that the negro, with pure negro blood,
is capableof self development, and can
be educated into civilization and man
hood in which he can stand alone. He
sees now what so many have known
for generations, that without the pres
ence and pow er of the white race the
negro goes back TO the degradations
and corruptions from which he came,
The eonclu zion to be reached from such
observation Of facts as TO the negro
race is that the prof lens by which we
are confronted are not to be settled
without distinct recognition Of race
conditions and differences.
We have not objected 10 tile exper
ments Of the theorists, in education and
other schemes for elevation. We do
not doubt that there are individual ex-
amples of development, produced by
Hampton and Tuskeesee, and many
more by close and kindly relations
with white friends all over the South
But the facts in America az TO the mas
of negro people,sof pure negro blood,
sustain the conclusions Of Mir. Adams.
II ,;tk.