The Semi-weekly leader. (Brookhaven, Miss.) 1905-1941, 1907-04-10
THE RACE QUESTION.

THE RACE QUESTION.
Senator Tillman drew some in
lteresting comparisons between his
native State and Mississippi, in
both of which there is d consid-
lerable majority Of negro over.
white population, the bare state
ment of this fact being, he said,
| of the most serious moment. He
said a large number Of Southern
newspapers and too many South
1ern leaders are in the habit of
saying that it is not proper to dis
cuss the race question, that it is
already solved; that the conditions
now prevailing are inevitably GO
ing to prevail, and that therefore
lthose who like himself and Gov.
Vardaman, and one or two other
public men, Gov. Smith, of Geor-
gia, for one, are agItating sub
ijeef better left alone that is TO
say, it is to the best interests of
The Southern people that such dis
Ecussion should be let alone.
II happen to have been alone in
THE United States Senate during
1.-THE past Z years pushing this sub
| ject to the front. The measures
|of protection taken against the
NEGRO thus far, the educational
land the tax-paying qualifications,
lare. only temporary. are only
I poultices applied to a swelling.
Every white man in the State Of
Mississippi, and every white man
lin the State of South Carolina, is
carrying like Slnbad, an old man
|of the sea, a negro upon his back
! who outweighs him. We of the
South have got an old man of the
sea upon our packs. He was
placed there in 1867. He was
/ lplaced there by the fourteenth
amendment to the Constitution oil
1.-THE United States, and his grasp
ion the Southern throat is rivited
1by the fifteenth amendment. We
lhave got the burden 70 carry until
.lthose amendments are repealed.
/ NORTHERN WHITES IGNO-
RANT.
The white people of The North
.Eare denseiy ignorant of conditions
there. There are few negroes
There, and they are Of a different
TYPE. But | find chat in the North
lthey no longer feel towards the
lSouth the slightest degree Of sec,
ltional hatred. The healthy signs
aare that they are very anxious tc
learn. They realize the serious.
ness Of this question. | believe
| they want to do what is right il
| they only know what that is.
And every thoughtful man in The
South now knows that when Abra,
j ham Lino0In's great heart was
stilIed by the assassin's bullet the
South lost its best and only
4 friend. We would have escaped
4 the horrors Of reconstruction hac
,lha lived. And II millions Of raer
Ilup there realize that mistake
was made when the ballot wa:
Thrust into the hands Of The negro
], Land If there is SO much Of thf
desire to learn what The Northern
whites should do, they are going
tIto BE taught. The North is ready
!. Ito help with this question If yoI
Twill indicate how we can do it
Therefore I have enjoyed speak
ling to Northern audiences.
confess | have rubbed it ii.
! have jabbed the pitchfork into
them clear up to The handle. Now
fIif We set about an active agitation
Throughout the South for relie
from this burden, fur guarant,
for the future, for something tha
shall promise q permanent settle
lment rather than temporar,
lone, we will show them bow AM
The sooner we begin the so0nej
Ne will get relief.
SEN NATORS WILL NOT DE
BATE.
/ have nothing against tho ne
4 gro, no other feeling Tor him thal
kindness. but / believe The Al